A child's reaction also depends on how much destruction he or she sees during and after the disaster. If a friend or family member has been killed or seriously injured or if the child's school or home has been severely damaged, there is a greater chance that the child will experience difficulties. A child's age affects how the child will respond to the disaster. Adolescents may minimize their concerns but argue more with parents and show a decline in school performance. Children with this disorder have repeated episodes in which they reexperience the traumatic event.
Children often relive the trauma through repetitive play.
In young children, distressing dreams of the traumatic event may change into nightmares of monsters, of rescuing others, or of threats to themselves or others. PTSD rarely appears during the trauma itself. Although its symptoms can occur soon after the event, the disorder often surfaces several months or even years later. Parents who are concerned about their child should talk about it with their child's physician.