Childhood is a particularly sensitive period of our lives. This has been evidenced by science for a long time and with increasing insistence. Probably for this reason, awareness and social responsibility in relation to this stage has increased.
Fortunately, more and more families and professionals are aware of the importance of meeting the needs of infants in a respectful and conscious way. Taking care of children is taking care of the community and, ultimately, society.
In this article We will define what childhood trauma is and we will delve into the different aspects that we must take into account to understand how they are generated. Finally, we will talk about the consequences that they can trigger.
When we talk about trauma, we refer to emotional wounds generated as a result of having lived experiences that have exceeded the person’s resources. This can occur when experiencing specific events on a specific basis, such as a natural disaster.
However, they can also occur in the face of apparently less threatening events that are repeated over time and generate a very serious impact on the development of a human being.
The lack of resources to deal with a situation and/or the inability to understand what is happening can trigger intense fear in the infant along with the feeling of helplessness and danger.
Experiencing certain painful and distressing events can have a strong impact on people’s physical and emotional development. Especially if they are experienced during childhood and optimal emotional support is not received.
How are childhood traumas generated?
It is important to understand that no two people are the same and even if we experience similar things, it does not have to trigger the same consequences. As briefly mentioned above, emotional wounds can be caused by a wide variety of situations.
Besides, The presence or absence of emotional support will be a determining aspect in the possible development of trauma. Some of the main risk factors will be explained below.
Potentially traumatic events
These types of situations usually occur unexpectedly, are highly stressful and overwhelming. One of the main characteristics is that these events put the life or physical integrity of the minor at risk. Some examples could be: accidents, natural disasters, wars, etc.
Physical and emotional abuse
Being a victim of physical and/or emotional abuse includes everything from receiving blows of any kind to insults or humiliation. Abuse, whether physical, emotional or both, can occur in a family, school or any other context. That is, this point includes being a victim of bullying or even cyberbullying.
Child sexual abuse, also known as CSA, is considered any sexual activity that occurs with a child. This can range from inappropriate touching—or any other type of physical interaction—to exposure to sexualized content, etc. w
At this point it is important to keep in mind that, sometimes, exploratory behaviors between infants can occur that are not sexual abuse. It is important to analyze each case in particular, but, Usually, it is considered ASI when there is a 5-year difference between individuals or more.
Negligence
The term neglect refers to the neglect of infants’ needs. Usually, this concept is related to the lack of basic needs such as food, clothing, medical care or education. However, we must take into account that Neglect also includes emotional, mental and safety neglect.
Dysfunctional family environment
A family environment is considered dysfunctional when the dynamics that occur in it at a relational level are maladaptive for its members. In other words, it could be defined as environments in which there are constant arguments, any type of violence, addictions, changing roles between parents and children (parentized children), unclear or too rigid limits, etc.
Medium-long term consequences
Taking into account everything stated so far, it is easy to understand that these experiences generate a very strong impact on the physical, emotional and mental development of people. Furthermore, also They seriously interfere with the way we learn to relate to the world, other people, and ourselves.
There is increasing scientific evidence that links the presence of trauma in people’s life history with the subsequent appearance of mental disorders and/or physical illnesses. One of the best-known consequences of having suffered trauma in childhood is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is not the only one by any means.
We must remember that we are a whole and, therefore, the experiences we have lived, whether we are aware of them or not, are recorded in our nervous system. Usually, when wounds are associated with the bond (all those in which there is not a specific event, but rather something persistent over time and in relationships), the attachment style that we develop is also affected.
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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team at PsychologyFor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to evidence-based research. The content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.
