Understanding PTSD in Young Children

If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.

Explore Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in young children and learn how early childhood educators and caregivers can recognize common symptoms, understand potential causes and triggers, and respond appropriately. Through trauma-informed strategies and practical examples, participants will build their ability to create safe, supportive, and healing classroom environments. This course will help educators better understand children affected by trauma and provide compassionate, responsive care that supports their emotional well-being. Course length – 1.5 hours.

The course answers the following questions:

• What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

• What are the symptoms of PTSD in a child?

• What are some causes of PTSD in young children?

• What are some of the triggers of PTSD?

Participants who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Identify common signs of trauma-related stress in children and describe at least three potential effects on development, behavior, or learning with 80% accuracy on the course assessment.

• Select at least three trauma-informed strategies for reducing triggers, responding to distress, and creating a safe and supportive classroom environment.

• Identify appropriate steps for documenting concerns, communicating observations to families, and supporting access to early intervention or professional services.