Children may have experiences that disrupt their sense of safety and security. These negative experiences in childhood are sometimes referred to as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) or child trauma. Research suggests more than two-thirds of children report experiencing at least one traumatic event by age 16. Examples of these experiences can include events that happen once, like the loss of a loved one, parental separation or divorce, or a serious traffic accident. They can also include traumatic experiences that occur repeatedly like physical or emotional abuse, neglect, being bullied, witnessing violence at home or at school, or living with someone who has a mental health or substance use problem. Traumatic experiences can overwhelm a child’s ability to cope with what they have experienced, which can lead to child traumatic stress and long-lasting effects that negatively impact health, wellbeing, and opportunities in life.

Fortunately, children who have experienced traumatic events can recover and flourish. Creating safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for children can buffer against the effects of negative experiences and help children thrive. As a parent or someone in a parenting role, your support and guidance matter greatly and you can find  help on ParentingMontana.org. Learning about child trauma and how it can affect your child will help you support your child. It will help your child feel safe and manage their strong and sometimes overwhelming feelings and behaviors while building a healthy parent-child relationship. 

This podcast provides an overview of how a child’s brain responds to stress, the impact of child trauma on health and wellbeing, and reactions to trauma at various stages of child development. This podcast also provides guidance for the actions you can take to support your child after they have experienced a traumatic event and what you can do to help your child manage challenging behaviors. Finally, as a parent or someone in a parenting role, your child’s trauma affects you as well. While caring for and supporting your child through their difficult moments, it is vital to take care of yourself. Guidance on specific actions to care for yourself with compassion are provided. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services partnered with the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University to promote healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral development through the tools on ParentingMontana.org like the one available to you in this podcast.