The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Injuries

CANTON, Texas. There are many ways that children can experience childhood trauma. Childhood brain or sports injuries, childhood car accidents, or even bullying and abuse can not only result in a child’s physical injuries, but it can also result in a child suffering long-term emotional injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder. According to QZ, children who experience trauma in childhood are at a greater risk of suffering from cancer, experiencing mental illness, dying sooner, or becoming obese. They are also more likely to engage in riskier behaviors as they grow up.

Parents who experienced trauma as children can also pass on that trauma to their own kids. For every negative childhood event a child experiences, it increases the risk that their own children will suffer from poorer health.

It isn’t clear why childhood trauma can have these intergenerational impacts, but it is likely due to a combination of factors. Parents may suffer inflammation which can impact their pregnancies or if they suffer from mental illness that can impact their parenting.

Trauma and stress can also affect a child’s brain. When children suffer traumatic experiences they are less able to complete complex tasks and they are less able to regulate their emotions. Toxic stress in children can also be incredibly harmful. A child doesn’t necessarily have to be the one who suffered a car accident to experience toxic stress resulting from it. For example, the child might see her parents struggling financially or struggling with new injuries and this can lead to added levels of stress. According to the New York Times, prolonged periods of stress, like having a mentally ill parent or a parent who has suffered a life-altering injury can result in toxic childhood stress. This can re-wire a child’s brain and even lead to an overactive inflammation response. Children with high stress are more likely to suffer from asthma and are also more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors later in life.

However, children who suffer through a car accident, physical violence, or from a brain injury don’t have to automatically suffer negative outcomes. With proper counseling and interventions, children can thrive. Yoga, meditation, eating properly, and mindfulness practices have also been shown to help. Unfortunately, access to these practices can be expensive and health insurance doesn’t always cover the costs of all these services.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a car accident, it is important to consider the role that an accident can have on your mental health. Children are especially at risk. The Cooper Law Firm are Canton, Texas car accident lawyers who work closely with victims and families to help them seek the recoveries they may deserve under the law. Our firm can help you and your family seek compensation from negligent parties to cover counseling and other essential treatment after a crash, for both yourself and your children. Visit us at https://www.cooper-law-firm.com/ to learn more.

 

Cooper Law Firm

501 N Third St,

Longview, TX 75601

Telephone: (903) 297-0037