Areas Impacted by Childhood Trauma
Learning
Developmental delays in communication skills.
Learning problems, including lower IQ and lower grades.
Interference with the ability to organize, process, and remember new information.
Hindrance with curiosity, imagination, and creative play.
Behavior
Difficulty with attention and focus in the classroom.
Difficulty with identifying and talking about feelings in an appropriate manner.
Rapid and unexpected emotional shifts.
Difficulty self-regulating, leading to increased aggression and impulsive behavior.
Relationships
Difficulty experiencing a sense of safety and of trust in others.
Difficulty interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues and reading faces and gestures accurately.
Interference with creating secure relationships with adults and peers.
Challenges establishing and maintaining healthy relationships with peers.
(Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative, 2021)