Tanya Anderson
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Abstract
There are a myriad of challenges and issues faced when working with children and
adolescents diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many children and
adolescents that present with PTSD symptoms have been exposed to chronic traumas
of community violence, physical injury and maltreatment. Exposure and experiences
resulting in a diagnosis of PTSD influences a child’s development, their ability to build
relationships and their mental well-being. This paper reviews the history of PTSD,
common symptomatology among children and adolescents diagnosed with PTSD,
issues in diagnosing PTSD in children and adolescents, and lastly, trauma’s impact on
development.
