What is Trauma?
Trauma is a psychologically distressing event that is outside the range of usual human experience, one that induces an abnormally intense and prolonged stress response. Because infants' and young children's reactions may be different from older children's, and because they may not be able to verbalize their reactions to threatening or dangerous events, many people assume that young age protects children from the impact of traumatic experiences. A growing body of research has established that young children-even infants—may be affected by events that threaten their safety or the safety of their parents/caregivers.

 How Does Trauma Affect the Child in My Care?

Young children who experience trauma are at particular risk because their rapidly developing brains are very vulnerable. Early childhood trauma has been associated with reduced size of the brain cortex which is responsible for many complex functions including memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thinking, language, and consciousness. These changes may affect IQ and the ability to regulate emotions. Children who have experienced trauma may exhibit the following symptoms: 

  • Avoidance
  • Numbing
  • Arousal
  • Attachment Issues
  • Attention/Concentration Issues
  • Impulsivity
  • Oppositional Behaviors

 Two Days....That Seems Like a lot of My Time.
 Why Should I make the Commitment?
  • For you
  • For the children in your care
  • To improve your level of education
  • To ensure your remain part of the greater discussion happening in the state
  • A little bit of knowledge really does go a long way
  • The information you will learn may drastically improve your ability to parent children with tough behaviors
  • Event most experienced professionals recognize the need for growth in their chosen field

Funding for this project was provided by a generous grant from the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation as well as the Iowa Department of Human Services through its contract with Magellan Health Services for Iowa Plan for Behavioral Health Medicaid Community Reinvestment funding.