Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Case Study

A major trigger for the development of childhood PTSD is sexual abuse. Another reason for development of PTSD according to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition) is exposure to an actual or threatened death. Additional DSM-5 criteria for PTSD in children are: one or more specified intrusion symptoms in association with traumatic event(s); symptoms indicating persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event(s), or negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event(s); marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s); duration of the disturbance exceeding one month (acute stress disorder applies to symptoms expressed within one month of a

According to Roy Lubit, “the initial goals of treatment for children with posttraumatic stress disorder are to provide a safe environment and to attend to urgent medical needs” (2014). Naturally, a child is going to be scared and distressed after a traumatic event happens to them, so it is important to be compassionate and provide comfort and respect for their feelings. The most widely-used technique for helping children with PTSD is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy is very structured and focuses on stress management, as well as teaching the child about the symptoms that they are experiencing. The therapy will also help the child to cognitively reprocess the trauma and the resulting symptoms. The goal of trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is for the child to be able to have a sense of confident control over their symptoms and feel safe with their memories. This desensitization to traumatic memories can be achieved by helping the child repeatedly, calmly walk through the story of what happened to them. Eventually the child will be able to relieve the event without mentally shutting down or checking out. One of the dangers involved with trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy is that the child may focus too much on

All medication options should be very carefully evaluated and the potential side effects thoroughly explored before prescribing one to a child. A type of medication that may be effective in helping with the effects of PTSD is a category of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications are sertraline and paroxetine. They are believed to help improve a child’s occupational and social functioning, and to decrease the key symptoms of PTSD. These two medications are the most likely to be effective, but there are a few other options. According to Roy Lubit, beta-blockers and alpha-adrenergic agonists can help reduce arousal, decrease the occurrence of forced re-experiencing of the traumatic event, and will avoid the neurophysiologic kindling that can contribute to chronic illness (2014). Mood stabilizing medication may also help. They are each unique in their function, therefore they are not interchangeable. The mood stabilizer carbamazepine can decrease persistent reliving experiences of the traumatic event, whereas valproic acid can help with avoidance symptoms. As Lubit says, “Compared to the aforementioned medications, atypical antipsychotics are infrequently used. They should be considered only when the patient