I am a Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional and I specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood posttraumatic stress. Children who have experienced ongoing trauma experience changes in the brain that have a direct impact on their behaviors. After even a signle traumatic experience, children experience a surge in their levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Repeated releases of cortisol can have a SIGNIFICANT and long term effect on a child’s development. Children’s brains change as a result of increased levels of cortisol over a long period of time. These children often have symptoms that may mimic ADHD (hyperactivity, being in constant motion, impulsive, decreased focus).
Also, depending on the frequency AND the severity of any traumatic experience, the amygdala is affected in the child’s brain. This structure in the brain allows us to respond to fear and over time, the child becomes either hypervigilant (jumpy, hypersensitive to extraneous stimuli) or the child dissociates (mentally checks out/zones out). We have to be very careful about how we discipline our children. They can and do develop anxiety! Anxious children are on edge and are more likely to have difficulty in social situations, have panic attacks, underperform in school, and isolate from others. school. The Alpha Kids Program was developed to help the overstimulated child to manage emotions, reduce impulsivity, and ultimately lower the brainwave so taht the child's brain can learn a new language.
Daysha Phimphone, LPC, CCATP, CATP