How To Heal Your Child’s PTSD After A Family Car Accident

In 2019 in the USA, 4,423,000 people sustained injuries that required medical attention, according to a preliminary estimate from the National Safety Council, and children who are in a family car accident need help to recover fully, including mental health support. There is more to healing than seeing the doctor, getting medical treatments and following self-care instructions from doctors. Some kids who have been in car accidents develop PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). They require emotional support from parents and caregivers and also need professional help to deal with their phobias, anxiety and fears.

What Is PTSD, Anyway?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD for short) is a mental health issue that may impact children or grown-ups. However, kids tend to experience it a little differently to how adults do. In kids and adults, this disorder develops for the same reasons. It may crop up when a person is terrified by an event where serious physical harm occurred or was a possibility. It might also develop due to the loss of a loved one, such as a family member who passed away due to a car accident.

What Are The Symptoms?

FVF Law Firm asserts that car accidents trigger confusion and stress, and kids are not immune from the emotional turmoil. This is one of the reasons it’s important to pursue legal action in the event of an accident: it can provide closure for the whole family. Children who develop PTSD may do so within half a year of the auto accident or later. Telltale signs of this disorder in kids include (but are not limited to) insomnia, depression, nervousness, hyper-alertness, aggressiveness, loss of mental focus, fears about mortality, and flashbacks that make it seem as though the traumatic incident is reoccurring.

How Is PTSD In Children Treated?

Children who are dealing with PTSD need love and patience, as well as consultations with their family doctors. Doctors can make referrals to mental health specialists who treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Examples of treatments that get good results include medications that treat anxiety and/or depression, and CBT. CBT stands for cognitive behavioral therapy, and this form of therapy will help your son or daughter to overcome fears related to the traumatic incident. It will also help your child to cope with anxiety.

If you suspect that your child has PTSD due to a family car accident, or because of another type of trauma, be sure to take them to the doctor as soon as possible. Also, be sure to make your child feel safe, loved and heard at home. It takes time to recover from trauma, and children need to heal in truly supportive environments.