HOUSTON — For the children who survived the Uvalde school shooting, the trauma will take time to heal.
Dr. Andrea Taylor, a psychologist with UT Physicians, said after witnessing a terrifying event, a person can experience acute stress disorder.
“(It affects) things like sleep, concentration ... being constantly aware of what’s going on around you,” Taylor said.
In children, she said, signs of trauma can manifest in age-related ways.
“In very young children, sometimes the way they re-experience something is through play,” Taylor said. “So as they’re playing, they will reenact trauma: the doll gets shot, or there is a car accident in the way they witnessed or experienced.”
When these signs and symptoms persist for more than a month, a person can be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. But she also noted that it’s common to experience a delayed onset of the disorder.
“People are a little surprised by that – ‘I thought I was coping just fine’ – but then six months down the road, or years later, they can experience it,” Taylor said.
While PTSD is typically suffered by those who witness a terrifying experience firsthand, Taylor said vicarious trauma can be experienced by those around them and first responders.
For many, the effects of PTSD go away after a few months, but Taylor said if they don’t, it’s important to seek professional help.