GENERAL
OTHER
VIOLENCE TAKES TOLL ON KIDS' OVERALL WELLNESS
Children's health advocates have long stressed the toll that post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can take on a child's psychological development. After witnessing or experiencing some form of violence, children often exhibit common PTSD symptoms including insomnia, bed-wetting, and flashbacks. New research is now indicating that the symptoms of PTSD can bleed over into the physical realm, as well. A University of Michigan study finds that children exposed to some form of violence – in school, at home or in their communities – are much more likely than their peers to suffer from a host of gastrointestinal problems, complain of frequent headaches, and exhibit a weaker immune response to common childhood afflictions. The implications of the study are particularly troubling for children from low-income families, a startling three-quarters of whom report witnessing or experiencing some form of violence. Researchers drew a link between the new study and previous
research showing that anxiety can lead to worsened physical health.
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