Trauma-Proofing Your Kids

Table Of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgments
Foreword by Mira Rothenberg

CHAPTER I
Trauma Is a Fact of Life
Real-Life Examples of Children We Have Known
Trauma Is Not Only in the Event
The Recipe for Trauma
The Recipe for Resilience

CHAPTER II
Building Resilience by Building Sensory Skills through Practice, Practice and More Practice
Giving Appropriate Support to an Overwhelmed Child
Simple Steps to Build Resilience
Developing a Calming Presence
Getting Acquainted with Your Own Sensations
Exercise: Noticing Sensations
Exercise: Exploring Sensations and the Rhythm of Pendulation
Exercise: Tracking Sensations with a Partner
Exercise: Making a Sensation Treasure Chest
First Aid for Trauma Prevention: A Step-by-Step Guide

CHAPTER III
Tricks of the Trade: Restoring Resilience through Play, Art and Rhymes
The Story of Sammy
Four Principles to Guide Children’s Play Toward Resolution
More Help for Kids through “Make-Believe” Play
Art Activities: Clay, Play Dough, Painting and Drawing
Nature and Animal Rhymes Combined with Drawings That Build Resources

CHAPTER IV
Remedies for Specific Situations: Amusement Park Rides to Zebra Bites
First Aid for Accidents and Falls
The Purpose of Touch When Helping a Child in Shock
The Power of Language to Soothe and Heal
Exercise: Experiencing the Power of Words
More Animal Rhymes to Help Your Child Regain Self-Confidence
A Guide to Constructing a Healing Story
Prevention of Medical Trauma
What Parents Can Do to Prepare Children for Surgery or Other Medical Procedures
When the Medical Procedure Is an Emergency
Elective Surgeries
Sensitivity to Your Child’s Pain
A Timely Word about Bullies and School Shootings

CHAPTER V
Ages & Stages: Building Confidence by Fostering Healthy Development
Responding to Your Infant: Issues of Safety and Trust
Your Toddler’s Needs: “Me Do It Myself”
“Tug of War” with Your Three- to Four-Year-Old
Your Flirtatious Four- to Six-Year-Old Boy or Girl
Adolescent Development: Who Am I?

CHAPTER VI
Sexual Violation: Reducing the Risk and Early Detection
Sexual Trauma Symptoms
Reducing the Risk of Sexual Wounds
What Is Sexual Violation?
Steps Caregivers Can Take to Decrease Children’s Susceptibility
Games for Kids to Practice Making Boundaries
Why Most Children Don’t Tell: Making It Safe for Them to Tell You
Date Rape and Other Teen Issues

CHAPTER VII
Separation, Divorce and Death: Helping Your Child Move through the Grieving Process
Symptoms of Grief versus Symptoms of Trauma
Two Views of Divorce: Rosy or Dark?
Surviving Divorce: A Guide to Preserving Your Child’s Wholeness
Helping Your Child Grieve
Dealing with the Death of a Pet
Steps That Help Children Resolve Their Grief
Exercise: Grief Recovery

CHAPTER VIII
Guerrilla Warfare in Our Neighborhoods: The Real Battle to Protect Kids from Terror
Models for Change in Hospitals and Medical Centers
A Peek at a Model Family-Centered Children’s Hospital
Community Crisis Intervention
A New Model for Crisis Debriefing at School

Notes
Bibliography
Additional Resources
About the Authors
Foundation for Human Enrichment