Childhood Stress and Trauma

This bookmark-style infographic defines Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and describes their potential impact on children.

This bookmark-style infographic offers basic tips for teachers working with children and families experiencing trauma.

This bookmark-style infographic defines trauma and describes symptoms of trauma in children.

This article from Young Children explains types of trauma young children may experience, how their behavior may be affected, and how educators and caregivers can be responsive and proactive.

This article, by public health specialist Nicole F. Roberts, summarizes ways poverty and related life factors (e.g., neglect, housing instability, violence, food insecurity) can create toxic stress and negatively influence children’s development.

This is an excerpt from the book Trauma and Young Children: Teaching Strategies to Support and Empower. The book itself, published in 2020, can be ordered from NAEYC.

This parent-friendly article covers types of stress, typical stress responses (physiological and psychological), and ways to support children experiencing stress.

This is a TedTalk video where pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.

This article, which covers all of childhood including the early years, describes several of the more common types of childhood mental health disorders, and ways parents and professionals might recognize them.

This page provides resources on trauma from APA including book recommendations, articles, podcast episodes, children’s books, and continuing education opportunities.

This short article discusses traumatic events that may be specific to children of undocumented immigrant families and asylum seekers affected by recent immigration policies.

This 2-hour webinar address characteristics, signs, and symptoms of trauma in children age 4 and under. Though it pre-dates recent changes in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5) criteria for trauma diagnosis in young children, the material is still relevant and may be helpful for educators who wish to better understand the topic.

This Web page links to resources on several topics of possible interest to teachers and other professionals who work with children.