Down will come baby, cradle and all: diagnostic and therapeutic implications of chronic trauma on child development.
OBJECTIVE
This review examines the clinical outcomes associated with exposure to chronic intrafamilial trauma and explores the treatment of the psychological, biological and cognitive sequelae.


METHODS
The existing research literature on the subject was collected, using Index Medicus/MEDLINE, Psychological Abstracts and the PILOTS database. The research findings were supplemented with clinical observations by the authors and other clinical writings on this topic.


RESULTS
Children with histories of exposure to multiple traumatic experiences within their families or in medical settings usually meet criteria for numerous clinical diagnoses, none of which capture the complexity of their biological, emotional and cognitive problems. These are expressed in a multitude of psychological, cognitive, somatic and behavioural problems, ranging from learning disabilities to aggression against self and others.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to intrafamilial violence and other chronic trauma results in pervasive psychological and biological deficits. Treatment needs to address issues of safety, stabilise impulsive aggression against self and others, promote mastery experiences, compensate for specific developmental deficits, and judiciously process both the traumatic memories and trauma-related expectations.
Streeck-Fischer
A
A
Tiefenbrunn Hospital, Rosdorf/Goettingen, Germany. annette.streek@t-online.de
van der Kolk
B A
BA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy