• moments when a child seems to replay the event in his/her mind (for me this was and still is playacting)
• intrusion of recurrent memories of the event or repetitive play about the event (for me this was and still is playacting)
• nightmares

• disorganized and agitated behavior
• irritability or anger
• nervousness about everyone and everything around him or her, i.e.; when people get too close
• jumpy when hearing loud noises

• avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or places that remind the child of what happened
• numbing or lack of emotions

• regression to earlier behavior, such as; clinging, bedwetting, or thumb sucking (I was clinging and thumb sucking again after stopping these behaviors.)
• difficulty sleeping or concentrating (I could not keep my place in a novel or non-fiction book.)
• detachment from others or social withdrawal
• excessive use of alcohol or other substances to self-medicate

• directly witnessed the event(s)
• suffered direct personal consequences, such as; the death of a parent or injury to self (My father broke my arm. At age three I witnessed my father kill someone for the first time.)
• had other mental health or learning problems prior to the event (I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks.)
• lack of a strong social network

Tags: ptsd