Vision Boys Academy Treats Preteen Boys with PTSD.
Are you a parent looking for an effective therapy method to help your struggling preteen boy? Read more to learn how Vision Boys Academy treats Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at our therapeutic boarding school in Missouri.
Vision Boys Academy understands that parents want to send their troubled boys to a safe, monitored environment where their child receives personal care and individual therapies that help heal emotional and mental disorders–whether brought on by trauma, foster care, adoption, or family genetics.
While your preteen boy is enrolled in our therapeutic boarding school for counseling, treatment, and improving academic/life skills, Vision Boys Academy also helps the students that struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder to improve their mental and physical health.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Teens
“Many people will experience traumatic events in their lives, including children and teens. Some researchers estimate that as many as 40% of children and adolescents will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. While most people are able to “bounce back” from the event after a few days, weeks, or months, others struggle to cope with the experience and the memory of the trauma. These people, including children and teens, can develop what is known as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
“Traumatic events often include physical violence, an accident, a natural disaster, war, or sexual abuse. Children or teens may have experienced these events themselves, or they may have witnessed them happen to someone else.”
Common PTSD Symptoms in Children
- Avoiding situations that make them recall the traumatic event
- Experiencing nightmares or flashbacks about the trauma
- Playing in a way that repeats or recalls the trauma
- Acting impulsively or aggressively
- Feeling nervous or anxious frequently
- Experiencing emotional numbness
- Having trouble focusing at school
Some other examples of PTSD symptoms to look out for in your young boy
Children under 6 may get upset if their parents are not close by, have trouble sleeping, or act out the trauma in their play.
Children ages 7 to 11 may also act out the trauma through play, drawings, or stories. Some have nightmares or become more irritable or aggressive. They may also want to avoid school or have trouble with schoolwork or friends.
Children ages 12 to 18 have symptoms more similar to adults: depression, anxiety, withdrawal, or reckless behavior like substance abuse or running away.
Treating PTSD for your Preteen
“PTSD symptoms frequently co-occur with other types of mental illness or lead to other issues with children and teens, including substance use, risky behaviors, and self-injury. These issues may need to be addressed in treatment as well to protect your child and help them achieve a full recovery.”
Here are some common treatment options for children and teens with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Cognitive behavioral therapy – A trauma-focused CBT therapist helps a child identify and correct irrational or illogical thoughts they might have about the trauma itself or people and situations they encounter in everyday life. CBT also typically includes psychoeducation about relaxation and coping techniques for stress.
Play therapy – This type of therapy can work especially well for younger children who struggle to communicate their reactions to the trauma and understand what happened. Play therapists use art therapy, games, and other interventions to help a child process trauma and cope resiliently with life.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – EMDR is a technique that incorporates guided eye movement exercises while a child recalls the traumatic event and works through cognitions and emotional responses they have about it.
Medication – There is no medication that “cures” PTSD, but sometimes antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication can help relieve symptoms in some children and teens while they are also seeing a therapist.
Vision Boys Academy Gives Students Healthy Ways to Heal PTSD.
Vision Boys Academy focuses on building effective communication with each boy, and his parent. Personal experiences with adoption, rebellion and academic troubles help us connect and relate one on one. Leading at-risk boys, enrolling ages 8-12, to be Godly and upright young men – that’s our purpose!
We work with preteen boys suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by walking, talking, and heart to heart. Therapists address your young boys mental and behavioral issues and create an individual treatment plan to follow at school, including therapy. We also provide nutritious meals, and healthy exercise and activities. We want each student to experience effective counseling and treatment, as well as improve daily life at school, and back home with family.
If you want to learn more about therapy and treatment for students struggling with PTSD at our therapeutic boarding school, please call (888) 500-4090 now.
Sources:
https://www.psycom.net/ptsd-in-children-and-adolescents