Linking PTSD and Medical Trauma, Part 2
The first post in this series explored how invasive medical procedures can cause PTSD in children. The post listed four factors that increase the likelihood of PTSD developing. The factors are:
- Timing
- Anesthesia
- Age of patient
- Previous Trauma History
As promised in Part 1 of the series, this post will address the general principle behind the occurrence of PTSD and how it can be successfully treated.
General PTSD Principle
Linda Gantt, who spoke at the 2010 Linking PTSD and Medical Trauma national conference, said the risks of developing PTSD increase according to this general principle: The more unexpected the procedure, the younger the patient, the more numerous the previous traumas, and the more urgent the need for the procedure, the greater the possibility that there will be psychological effects.
No Wonder Our Son Had PTSD
When Dr. Gantt’s explained the four factors and the general principle behind them, the burden of guilt I carried about our son’s PTSD no longer weighed upon me. Our son’s medical treatment was completely unexpected, within 24 hours of his birth, and immediately necessary for him to live. With three of the four factors involved in his trauma, no wonder he developed PTSD. And since medically induced PTSD wasn’t even on the radar screen when he had surgery in 1982, no wonder it went undetected for so long.Prevent
How to Prevent PTSD
In 2010, the vast majority of kids can avoid developing medically induced PTSD. Depending on the age of the child and the circumnstances, it can be prevented by:
- having the hospital’s child life specialist help prepare your verbal child for scheduled medical procedures or surgeries.
- having the the child life specialist remediate trauma caused by an emergency medical procedure or surgery in a verbal child.
- having someone rub a pre-verbal child’s arm and talk quietly to him during procedures or surgeries.
- having soft music or a tape recording of the parent’s voice playing during procedures or surgeries.
How to Treat PTSD
Of course, not all PTSD can be prevented. But children can be successfully and easily treated for it. One great treatment resource is Peter Levine and Maggie Kline’s books, Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids: A Parents’ Guide for Instilling Confidence, Joy and Resilience.
If your child needs professional therapy, I highly recommend the Intensive Trauma Therapy Institute in Morgantown, West Virginia. You can learn more about their clinic at their website www.traumatherapy.com. If you know of other successful treatment centers, please leave a comment. I want every child with PTSD to receive treatment as quickly as possible!
Thanks,
Jolene
Hi Jolene,
Linda Gantt told me about you being at the clinic with your son. Nothing of his history just that you were their key note speaker at their medical trauma conference.
I believe she called to ask if we could communicate and told you that I had expperienced infant surgery trauma and was diagnosed with PTSD. My experience at the clinic was remarkable. I have tried many things and think Linda and Lou really have the key to helping people make sense of their life again.
I am working on several ideas, including an article in regard to my experience. Do you know if your son had anesthesia during his multiple sugeries? I am guessing not since it was before 1986.
Please contact me on my email, I do not have yours, as I would be very interested in hearing from you.
Best, Terry Monell
Hi Terry,
Yes, Linda said I might hear from you. I’m so glad ITT was able to help you, too. I will contact you via private email to talk more.
Jolene
Hi Jolene,
It’s great that you are posting material about the connection between PTSD and infant/child medical trauma. Would you happen to know if ITT will be hosting a PTSD and Medical Trauma conference in 2011?
Hi Wendy,
Their next conference will be in 2012, as they had one in 2011 and hold them every two years. Last year’s focused on medical trauma. You would have loved it. Do you have any kind of social work or medical background? They do trainings for professionals, and their methods are ground-breaking. The staff is approachable. I encourage you to call the clinic and ask to talk to Carrie Downey. Mention my name if you like.
Jolene
I came upon this website while researching this subject for my own personal understanding. I believe I have suffered from “medical PTSD” my entire life.It originated from molestation during repetitive treatments for kidney disease from the age of approx. 2 to the age of 8. Whether this molestation was intended or the procedure and a rough and uncaring physician made it feel that way may not be certain but the details are very clear to this day and there are certain words that still cause great distress and make my stomach turn over. The point is it does not matter because the end result and its effects were the same. The logical understanding has helped me identify the source of many of my feelings and behaviors but does does not eliminate the pain and the abnormal fears I still live with today. I am 61 years old. I hope this conference in 2012 will aggressively address a problem that is extremely debilitating for many.
Dear Janet,
I’m so glad you found this site and pray that you find treatment and resolution for what you experienced in your childhood. Don’t wait until the 2011 ITT Conference, though. Please you to their website, http://www.traumatherapy.us and read about it. Then call them and talk to a therapist. They may have trained someone who lives in your area. Or, you may want complete their assessment forms. If they diagnose PTSD, I urge you to consider going to Morgantown for treatment when they have an opening.
If you would like to discuss this further, let me know and we’ll continue the dialogue via email.
Jolene
Just came across this site, and I am very grateful. I was diagnosed with a hip disease at age 4 and was put on crutches for two years. I was diagnosed w/ the same disease at age 11 and had to have surgery and bodycast to correct the problem. Subsequent hip problems led to 3 more surgeries, another bodycast, confinement to bed for 6 weeks and then a hip replacement. I never realized it was a TRAUMA and i had ptsd from it until a few years ago. I have been doing EMDR therapy for a little over a year and it is slowly healing me. I can remember certain things about my trauma, and there is no “charge”. A miracle. There are still a lot of layers to get through, but to know that the medical world is linking the two (ptsd & medical traume) is groundbreaking and extremely validating. Like most survivors, I sometimes think I am “making much ado about nothing” but this website tells me something different. thank you.
You’re welcome, Amanda. You are not making much ado about nothing. Receiving treatment for PTSD and learning to cope with it’s after effects is life changing. That is huge! Best wishes to you.
Jolene