Scheeringa - Theyll never be the same: a parents guide to PTSD in youth

Table of Contents

Special Praise for Theyll Never Be the Same

I believe it is important that parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals become informed about the psychological impact of trauma on young and, especially, very young children. Theyll Never Be the Same, by one of the key figures in the field, helps to do this.

Justin Kenardy, PhD

University of Queensland

Australia

Dr. Mike Scheeringa lays out for parents what they need to know about trauma, PTSD, and effective treatments. It is based on solid scientific researchhis own and that of other experts. At the same time, he is grounded in the true-life experiences of traumatized children and illustrates this with vivid clinical examples from his own clinic. He is speaking directly to parents so that they are empowered to act as educated consumers in getting the best care for their children. Clinicians seeking to help traumatized children would do well to read this book so they, too, understand the science of trauma and PTSD and are prepared to deliver treatments that work.

Lucy Berliner, MSW

Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress

Children do recover from PTSD; Dr. Scheeringas book provides parents with a wealth of information about this disorder and practical guidance for finding effective treatment.

Judith Cohen, MD

Professor of Psychiatry

Allegheny Health Network

Temple University School of Medicine

Few child mental health professionals have made as important a contribution to the understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder in children as Professor Michael Scheeringa. In Theyll Never Be the Same, Dr. Scheeringa has distilled years of clinical and research experience into key messages for parents who are confronted by PTSD and its effects in children. Rather than bombard the reader with his own opinions and reflections, he has brilliantly summarized the evidence as we currently understand it, making clear what we do know and, sadly, what we dont yet know. He does not shy away from the hard topics and gives a warts and all account of what PTSD is and the best ways of treating it in children and teenagers. If you want to get a much better and fuller understanding of what children with PTSD are going through and how to help them, then this is the book to read.

Richard Meiser-Stedman, PhD

Reader in Clinical Psychology

University of East Anglia

United Kingdom

Dr. Scheeringa provides parents with information about what to expect after a child has experienced a traumatic event(s) based on research and his years of experience. The stories of children who have experienced trauma and the straightforward summary of the research are designed to help parents gain a better understanding of their childs experience. Scheeringa provides compassion, hope, and ways to navigate effective evidence-based mental health treatment so that children can get better after trauma and get back on track.

Alison Salloum, PhD

Associate Professor

School of Social Work

College of Behavioral and Community Sciences

University of South Florida

Perhaps my highest endorsement of Theyll Never Be the Same is that despite having studied pediatric PTSD for over twenty years, I still learned from reading it (e.g., the history of the controversy surrounding Lenore Terrs initial work). While researchers will continue to debate many of the ideas presented in this book, it is an excellent resource for the public to become educated about PTSD in children and youth. Moreover, there is no one better suited to present this information than Dr. Michael Scheeringa, one of the preeminent leaders in this field. From the case examples to the technical details of what symptoms to look out for, Dr. Scheeringas explanations are accessible to a wide range of readers.

Carl Weems, PhD

Professor and Chair

Human Development and Family Studies

Iowa State University

Central Recovery Press (CRP) is committed to publishing exceptional materials addressing addiction treatment, recovery, and behavioral healthcare topics.

For more information, visit www.centralrecoverypress.com.

2018 by Michael S. Scheeringa

All rights reserved. Published 2018.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

Publisher: Central Recovery Press

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Las Vegas, NV 89129

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Scheeringa, Michael S., author.

Title: Theyll never be the same: a parents guide to PTSD in youth / Michael S. Scheeringa.

Other titles: They will never be the same

Description: Las Vegas: Central Recovery Press, [2018]

Identifiers: LCCN 2017048089 (print) | LCCN 2018001382 (ebook) | ISBN 9781942094623 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Post-traumatic stress disorder in children. | Teenagers--Mental health. | Post-traumatic stress disorder in children--Treatment.

Classification: LCC RJ506.P55 (ebook) | LCC RJ506.P55 S3918 2018 (print) | DDC 618.92/8521--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017048089

Photo of Michael Scheeringa by Jeffery Johnston. Used with permission.

Every attempt has been made to contact copyright holders. If copyright holders have not been properly acknowledged, please contact us. Central Recovery Press will be happy to rectify the omission in future printings of this book.

Publishers Note: This book contains general information about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in childhood and youth. It represents reference material only and is not intended as medical advice. This book is not a replacement for treatment or an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you are experiencing a medical issue, professional medical help is recommended. Mention of particular products, companies, or authorities in this book does not indicate endorsement by the publisher or author.

CRPs books represent the experiences and opinions of their authors only. Every effort has been made to ensure that events, institutions, and statistics presented in our books as facts are accurate and up-to-date. To protect their privacy, the names of some of the people, places, and institutions in this book may have been changed.

Cover design and interior by Deb Tremper, Six Penny Graphics.

To the one in the many who got it and inspired me.

Table of Contents

Thirty-nine years ago, pioneers in the field of psychological trauma recognized a new disorder called posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that formally recognized the psychological injuries of victims of war, violence, abuse, accidents, and other life-threatening events. The formalization of this disorder fueled the explosion of research that followed. Since then, there has been a tremendous growth of knowledge covering the impact on emotional, cognitive, and biological domains and the treatment of this type of problem.

Despite these advances in understanding and treatment for trauma-related problems, we, as clinicians and scientists, have failed the consumers whom we are trying to help. PTSD still goes undetected in most individuals who have it. Clinicians who consider themselves experts miss the diagnosis the vast majority of the time. Parents are often inappropriately blamed for their childrens problems because of misinterpretations of the research data. Patients are being told extraordinary stories that trauma has damaged their brains. Treatments that work are being ignored by clinicians.