The researchers found that those who showed signs of stress soon after the incident didn’t necessarily go on to suffer PTSD after three years, And, while some developed PTSD that persisted for years, this occurred only in a minority of cases. Most “bounce back” naturally in time, the study authors said.
Injury severity was associated with PTSD incidence up to six months after an incident, but not three years after.
However, the researchers added, most parents of children who still had PTSD after three years didn’t recognize their child’s symptoms. This finding suggests that relying on parent reports of PTSD in their children may not be adequate for identifying chronic PTSD in young children, the researchers said.
The researchers also found that children were more likely to suffer PTSD if their parents also suffered PTSD in the short- or long-term. But even these parents may not recognize their child’s PTSD.
“This study reveals some really interesting links between how children and their parents respond to a trauma,” Meiser-Stedman said.
Children may experience PTSD for years without their parents being aware of it. The researchers also found a strong link between parents having PTSD and their children having it as well, even years after the traumatic event.