Welcome to the LCPS Mental Health and Wellness "Navigating the Path to Student Wellness" Virtual Conference. We look forward to seeing you on January 30, 2021 for a day of connection and learning.
Impact of childhood trauma, navigating educational and other service systems, and strategies for success in special education. Children with developmental disabilities are at a higher risk of experiencing traumatic events than their peers. Understanding trauma and basic brain science contextualizes challenging trauma-triggered responses in children with disabilities. Trauma-sensitive responses that build relationships and support self-regulation can help caregivers cope with the additional stressors associated with the pandemic.
Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the impact of trauma and traumatic stress. The effects are seen across domains; trauma often has significant negative impacts on academics, social emotional development and behaviors. Children with developmental disabilities are at a higher risk of experiencing traumatic events than their peers. Even prior to the COVID pandemic, children with developmental disabilities were 3- 4 times more likely than their peers to experience traumas such as exposure to violence, neglect and inadequate protective factors. In this session, we review the unique trauma characteristics that disproportionately impact children with disabilities. We share basic brain science that contextualizes challenging trauma-triggered responses in children with disabilities. The session offers trauma-sensitive responses that build relationships and support self-regulation to help caregivers cope with additional stressors associated with the pandemic. The session draws on the work of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Siegal, Leitch, and ACE Interface.
