Post-traumatic Stress Disorder :: Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

Post-Traumatic vehemence Disorder is a condition from which nearly 10% ofAmericans suffer. It, unlike other afflictions, is associated with a widevariety of circumstances. umteen war veterans suffer from Post woundtic judgeDisorder. However, a new group of people are quickly emerging as common suffersof Posttraumatic tune Disorder-sexually abused children. Posttraumatic StressDisorder is a prevalent problem associated with children who are victims ofsexual assault.Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is classified as an anxiety disorder underthe Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Disorders (DSM-III). The diagnoses forPosttraumatic Stress Disorder was not formally diagnosed as part of DSM-IIIuntil 1980. According to Famolaro, the diagnoses of Posttraumatic StressDisorder requires (a) experience of a significant traumatic events (b) re-experiencing of the trauma in one of several different thought, emotional, orbehavioral forms (d) persistent symptoms of increased arousal, Particularlyw hen exposedto stimuli concretely or symbolically reminiscent of the trauma (e)symptoms lasting at least one month. (Famolaro, Maternal and ChildPosttraumatic... 28).Children are now becoming realized as significant sufferers ofPosttraumatic Stress Disorder. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is speciallybad for children under the age of 11, because they lack many of the skillsneeded to protect themselves. Furthermore, this vulner world power is enhanced whenthe child is exposed to any maltreatment. According to recent studies,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a common sequella of severe or chronicmaltreatment of children, particularly among sexually maltreated children (Famularo, Symptom Differences... 28). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can becaused if the child is exposed to just one traumatic episode (rape, witnessing aviolent crime, physical abuse) However, the child will become more susceptibleto Posttraumatic Stress Disorder if the maltreatment continues. Moreover, achild is most l ikely to suffer from symptoms associated with PosttraumaticStress Disorder when sexual assault is involved(28).Because children have not yet essential cognitively emotionally and arevery immature, they are likely candidates to develop symptoms related toPosttraumatic Stress Disorder. As a child matures he/she becomes betterequipt to deal with and prevent contributing factors to the eventual sufferingfrom Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Up to age two, young children can recreatestressful events and even imagine such(prenominal) events recurring However, the mind isnot developed enough to identify, anticipate, or prevent future traumaticoccurrences. At age three, children cannot, distance themselves, in time,appreciate roles and differences in behavior, access situation, or adoptnonegocentric causality (Saigh 189). This flaw opens them up to the impact oftrauma because the child cannot anticipate and protect themselves. By age four,children have the ability to protect themselves by av oiding traumatic encounters.They also have the ability to suppress their anxiety when it becomes difficult