Symptoms of PTSD in children aged 6 years and younger

1. Presence of 1 or more of the following symptoms:

   a. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories of traumatic events

   b. Recurrent dreams in which the content is related to the traumatic event.

   c. Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the child feels or acts as if the traumatic event is reoccurring.

   d. Psychological distress at exposure to internal (e.g., bodily sensations) or external (e.g., places) cues that resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s)

   e. Psychological reactions to reminders of traumatic event(s)

   
   

2. Persistent avoidance or expression of negative moods( e.g., fear, guilt, sadness, shame, and confusion) to stimuli associated with traumatic event

   
   

3. Presence of 2 or more of the following symptoms:

   a. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts

   b. Hypervigilance

   c. Exaggerated startle response.

   d. Problems with concentration

   e. Sleep disturbance.