Kids who have really scary experiences can develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Kids with PTSD often try to avoid any reminders of the scary experience, have bad dreams or daydreams
about the scary event and have extreme emotional reactions, ranging from irritability to being completely numb and unemotional.
It's important for kids to know that the scary event was not their fault. Your child may feel extremely guilty for what happened,
even if there was no way to prevent it. Encourage your child to tell the story of what happened in as much detail as possible.
Reassure your child that telling the story will not upset you or make you mad. Telling the story will help you better understand what happened.
Telling the story also helps children become less sensitive to the scary event and prevents them from avoiding it (which can make PTSD worse).
It's normal to feel emotional after a scary event happens. But if your child is showing symptoms of PTSD that don't get better or seem to be
getting worse for more than a month, your child might benefit from treatment with a professional.
