| Whereas I find the various disorders in the DSM IV to | | | | autism and pervasive developmental disorders, trauma |
| be highly subjective, they are mainly a listing of certain | | | | is also a factor, however the trauma is not resultant of |
| behavioral traits manifested by certain individuals. It is | | | | any action of the parent in regards to abuse or |
| my proposition that behind all of these behavioral traits | | | | neglect. Rather, the trauma is beyond the control of |
| lies traumatic experience, and that based on age of | | | | the parents and is usually resultant from trauma in |
| the time of trauma, the nature of the trauma, and | | | | utero or as a neo-nate. In addition, there may be some |
| environmental factors will have a role in what reaction | | | | role in regards to exposure to toxicity in relation to |
| occurs and what behaviors are displayed.Trauma | | | | developmental delays. Waseem and Switzer (2005) |
| appears to be the main causation of the majority of | | | | report that the earlier the onset of severe trauma the |
| what are termed 'disorders' in children and adolescents. | | | | greater propensity for dissociation. Those children who |
| Hammersley, et al. (2003) found in his study, "Childhood | | | | begin to dissociate are those where the trauma is not |
| trauma and hallucinations in bipolar affective disorder" | | | | a single isolated event but a pervasive and recurrent |
| that there was a highly significant association of those | | | | event in the child's life.Trauma which occurs that is less |
| experiencing hallucinations and the behaviors that are | | | | intense and can be more readily resolved would fall |
| labeled bipolar disorder and those experiencing | | | | into the classification of what is labeled, "Adjustment |
| childhood traumas, particularly childhood sexual | | | | Disorders". Lochner, et. al (2002) in the study, |
| abuse.McKenzie (1998) noted that a symptom defining | | | | "Childhood trauma and obsessive compulsive disorders' |
| trauma prior to 18 months could lead to the | | | | found a significant higher level of childhood trauma, |
| development of psychotic features once a | | | | particularly emotional neglect in adults who later |
| symptom-precipitating trauma occurred later in life. | | | | manifested obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In |
| McKenzie (1998) also proposed that trauma between | | | | OCD, the trauma occurs in childhood and the |
| 18 and 24 months would lead to what would be term | | | | environment is one that is chaotic, and the child begins |
| as 'schizoaffective' traits, and that trauma between 24 | | | | to feel the need to have a semblance of control. It is |
| and 34 months would manifest later as 'major | | | | through the obsessive-compulsive rituals that the child |
| depression.'I propose that trauma within during later | | | | then begins to feel that they are able to take control |
| childhood (approximately age 6-10) can lead to the | | | | over some aspect of their lives. Anxiety and panic |
| development of behaviors in children that would be | | | | concerns can also be seen to be trauma related. |
| labeled as "Conduct Disorder". James (1989) states | | | | Exposure to a fear invoking event or 'flashbacks' to a |
| that trauma violates basic trust and disrupts one's | | | | traumatic event through a new precipitating trigger can |
| ability to have empathy. During the age between 6-10 | | | | evoke the panic response. Being that the the various |
| is also the period where a child begins to develop a | | | | psychological 'disorders' are connected to trauma, it is |
| sense of justice, a delineation between what is 'right' | | | | logical that this is the factor that must be addressed |
| and 'wrong'. If a trauma should occur during this period | | | | and the use of psychotropic drugs in 'treatment' would |
| of formation, then the outcome would be the | | | | only be subduing behaviors and numbing the impact of |
| manifestation later of serious conduct. Chemtob, | | | | the trauma without truly ever addressing the core |
| Novaco, Hamada, Gross, & Smith (1997) report that | | | | issue which has led to the psychological distress. |
| trauma canlead toan individual acting out by violent | | | | Therefore, it is important that clinician's begin to truly |
| means.If a child experiences significant abuse and | | | | examine the experience of children and adolescents |
| neglect within the first year of life can develop what is | | | | and begin to understand the role and impact of |
| termed as 'reactive attachment disorder'. The child has | | | | traumatic experience in their lives. It is necessary for |
| difficulty forging appropriate relational bonds. They are | | | | the adults in the life of the child to begin to address the |
| inherently distrustful. Highes (2003) has developed | | | | factors in the environment which may perpetuate |
| dyadic developmental psychotherapy which focuses | | | | distress and to aid the child in development of adaptive |
| on building the caregiver's bond as well as encouraging | | | | coping responses and the ability to resolve the inner |
| the use of "PACE" (Playfulness, Acceptance, | | | | conflicts arising from the traumatic experiences.Dr. |
| Curiousity, Empathy) as well as the incorporation of | | | | Edmunds received his Doctorate of Education in |
| some cognitive approaches. The child who would fall | | | | Pastoral Community Counseling from the University of |
| into the categorization of "reactive attachment' must | | | | Sarasota. He is a critic of the bio-psychiatric paradigm |
| be differentiated from those with pervasive | | | | and is a proponent of drug free relationship based |
| developmental disorder, as whereas those with | | | | approaches towards addressing emotional and |
| developmental challenges may manifest difficulty in | | | | developmental challenges. |
| relational bonds, there is a differing causation.With | | | | |