The term trauma is generally associated with individuals who have been witnesses to or victims of violence, such as during times of war. However, according to Paramjit T Joshi, a pediatrician and a child psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, children in America whose environments consist of high amounts of poverty, violence, drugs, unemployment and teen pregnancy are much worse off than some of the children in war torn areas such as the Balkans. Many children in America are exposed to a constant state of conflict and other stresses that can lead to trauma. The social setting in which a child grows up plays a major role in the development of the brain. A child's reaction may differ according to the level of traumatic exposure, but trauma does not appear to discriminate according to sex, ethnicity, or age.
All children are vulnerable.
Trauma can also occur when a child experiences changes in their lifestyle. Such a change can include a new sibling, moving, divorce, or a change in school, childcare center, or the health of a family member. Often trauma is a root cause. For example, during a mediation. The student, Sarah, refused to leave her mother's side.