40.2 Pediatric Trauma: Practical Approaches to the Assessment of Experiences and Symptoms

Abstract

Childhood stress and trauma have been linked to many of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in adults, and recent studies have demonstrated consistent associations between the burden and morbidity of trauma and stress in youth. Many organizations, including AACAP and the AAP, encourage clinicians to screen for trauma. However, aside from risk stratification, there is wide variation among pediatric psychiatrists in the assessment of trauma and stress beyond identification of disorders such as PTSD. This presentation will review assessment approaches for pediatric mental health providers when evaluating children and adolescents with known trauma exposures.