Traumatic events can have devastating impact on children: US expert

"Traumatic experiences can have a devastating impact on children, altering their physical, emotional, cognitive and social development, and thus have profound implications for their family and the society," said Dr Shiraz Butt from Rush University and Riveredge Hospital, Chicago, USA, during a lecture on 'Neuro-Psychiatric Effects of Trauma' at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) here on Tuesday.
UHS Vice-Chancellor Professor Hussain Mubbashar, senior faculty members and a large number of postgraduate students attended the lecture. Dr Shiraz that traumatic events in childhood increase the risk for a host of social setbacks (eg drug abuse, victimisation, anti-social behaviour), neuro-psychiatric problems (eg post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), dissociative disorders, conduct disorders), and other problems.
"These traumatic events might include exposure to violence, witnessing rape, murder or suicide behaviour, sexual or physical abuse, severe accidental injury, natural disasters and emotional abuse," he said.
He said that deterioration of public education, violence and the alarming social disintegration seen in the society could be traced back to the escalating cycles of abuse and neglect of children. Dr Butt explained that traumatised children, when faced with the reminders of the original traumatic events, might experience so much pain and anxiety that they become overwhelmed.
"In these situations, when they cannot not physically withdraw from those reminders, they might dissociate adding that following a traumatic experience, children might act stunned or numb," he added. Dr Butt said that children who survived a traumatic event might develop post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). They might become behaviourally impulsive, hyper-vigilant, hyperactive, withdrawn or depressed, have sleep difficulties and anxiety', he added.
He said that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), accompanied by parental involvement, was very effective approach for treating such children. He said that better parents cope with the trauma, and the more they support their children, the better their children would perform.
Dr Butt was of the view that due to the recent increase in incidents of violence and their widespread media coverage, there was need to have a societal response to this issue. Professor Mubbashar said that the talk provided an agenda for social, educational and prison reforms as well as research into these areas.