2018 Awareness Day Final Report AD2018_FinalReport_FINAL | Page 11

“The first few people a child talks to about their
experience of trauma are going to have a lasting
impact on that child’s ability to recover from what
has happened to them.”
TEXAS STATEWIDE: Children enjoy Awareness Day activities.
— AMBER SINGH, Young Adult Leader
Creating Trauma-Informed Primary Care Services and Systems
Sometimes the first person to recognize that a child
has been affected by trauma is the family doctor, a
pediatrician, nurse practitioner, or other primary care
provider. In many situations, these individuals may
already have trust and rapport with the child and her
or his family, making it easier to discuss their needs
or experiences beyond the physical.
However, the process of re-telling can be difficult for
children; safe spaces in which to share are essential.
“If we create an environment where that child can
feel like what’s happened to them isn’t their fault,
that child can then start building a support system for
themselves,” says Young Adult Leader Amber Singh.
Debra Waldron, M.D., MPH, FAAP, Senior Vice
President of Child Health and Wellness at the
American Academy of Pediatrics, knows firsthand the
importance of being an early, if not first, touch point
in a child’s care. A best practice in her view is to ask
age-appropriate questions to find out what may be
occurring in a child’s life that would be an example of
trauma.
“We always need to remember that these little
warriors, these survivors, are kids,” says Dawn
Garzon Maaks, Ph.D., CPNP-PC, PMHS, FAANP,
President, National Association of Pediatric Nurse
Practitioners. “And what we do as health care
providers can be scary. For these children in
particular, we need to embrace their child-ness.”
Panelists agreed that a key piece of being a trauma-
informed primary care provider is to be curious and
open-minded about why people behave the way they
do. At the same time, these providers must reserve
judgment about family dynamics and experiences,
and instead focus on moving forward.
“There are so many reasons to have hope. Recovery is
possible, and things do get better.”
— DANIEL SCHWARTZ, Young Adult Leader
YOUNG ADULT LEADERS: Amber Singh and Daniel Schwartz
PARTNERING FOR HEALTH AND HOPE FOLLOWING TRAUMA
11