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3.3 Child development : how trauma affects children according to their age​

KEY TO KNOW
A variety of explanations are needed to understand the symptoms and behaviour of children who have been exposed to sexual abuse . In terms of their development , first of all , children exhibit different reactions to specific kinds of trauma at different ages . In addition , though the effects on children of sexual abuse resemble the effects of other traumatic events in many ways , sexual abuse has certain specific effects . It involves a human relationship ; it exposed children to adult sexuality ; and it is often combined with threats and secrecy .
Though we speak of “ childhood ”, children ’ s capacities and responses evolve as they develop . Here is a model of how a child reacts to danger according to their developmental level :
Developmental model
Stage of development
Maturity level ( Pynoos )
Factors that protect – resilience ( Werner )
Developmental task ( Punamaki )
Trauma influence
Infancy ( 0 -2 )
The child socially refers : checking with their close relation
• Easy temper Easy to regulate
• Has a good / close relation with the regulating other
• Attachment
• Imitation
• Exploration
• Perspective ( theory of mind )
• Attachment disorder
• Insecure
• Disorganised
• Regulation disorder
Early childhood ( 2-6 )
The child elicits the caregiver ’ s protection when needed
• Independence
• Sociability
• A good caring environment
• Emotional selfregulation
• Mentalisation
• Play
• Capacity to symbolise
• Poor emotional regulation
• Poor symbolic capacity
• Poor play
• Poor mentalisation
• Poor self-agency / efficacy
Childhood ( 6-12 )
The child considers the reasons for danger / fear and the need for protection
• Capacity to cope
• Motivation
• Supportive family network
• Peer identification
• Friendships
• Learning
• Problem solving
• Asocial behaviour
• Mistrust of adults
• Mistrust of self and others
Youth ( teens )
• He / she practises emotional selfregulation when faced by danger
• He / she is able to plan
• He / she is able to foresee danger
• The teen has an “ internal locus of control ”
• He / she is independent
• He / she has close friends
• Intimate relationships
• Individuation and autonomy
• Moral development
• Future planning
• Poor planning skills
• Low emotional awareness
• Sexualised behaviour
• Autobiographic fragmentation