Childhood psychological trauma: what it really is and what helps

It does not always come out as tears. More often it shows in changed behaviour: developmental regression, freezing or outbursts, play that keeps returning to the same scene^[1], fear with no visible cause, a child who has become “too good” and stopped asking for anything. Sometimes what a child cannot say shows up in the body: stomach aches, disturbed sleep, flinching at sudden noises.

According to the WHO, six in ten children under five (about 400 million) regularly face physical punishment or psychological violence from parents and caregivers^[2]. A meta-analysis links maltreatment and neglect in childhood to a higher risk of depression, anxiety disorders, suicide attempts and substance use in adult life^[3]. But the same WHO fact sheet also makes the point that matters most to parents: early recognition and ongoing support for the child and the family help prevent maltreatment from happening again and lessen its consequences^[2]. Trauma is not a life sentence; a safe adult close by^[4] is one of the recovery factors that research supports.

Safety comes first, and it has to be real, physical safety: while the source of the threat is still nearby, psychological help cannot work to its full extent. Then stability — a routine, predictability, rituals: recovery is built on boring things. Then talking at the child’s pace: no pressing for details, but no banning the subject either. And work with a specialist — with the child through play, with the parent separately. Childhood trauma is almost always a task for the whole family: NICE recommends involving parents or carers in helping the child^[1].

If you suspect violence against a child, this is not something to work through with self-help articles. Act: if the child is in danger right now, call 112 in Kazakhstan or your local emergency number elsewhere; 111 is Kazakhstan’s free, round-the-clock helpline on family matters and children’s rights.