What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Also known as: PTSD.

All children and adolescents have bad, stressful experiences which may affect them physically and emotionally. Mostly they recover quickly without any further problems.

Sometimes, particularly after a threatened or actual catastrophic incident (whether involving themselves or being a witness to such an event), children/adolescents may experience ongoing difficulties/symptoms which are called post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM