Sibling Death and Childhood Traumatic Grief
Psychology 2113
Spring 2014
SIBLING DEATH AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMATIC GRIEF
Author: National Child Traumatic Stress Network Child Traumatic Grief Committee
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 2009
When someone close to a child dies, the child may experience deep emotional loss and grief. Children will grieve in their own way, and much of what they are feeling will show in their behavior. Children who were quiet and shy may start acting out and having tantrums, in the same token a child who is normally active and social may start showing a lack of interest in things they use to enjoy, or become quiet and reserved. Many children will experience feelings of guilt if they had a sibling die. Children are very self-centered and may believe that they caused their siblings death. Children, just like any person, will show grief in various ways; there is not right or wrong way to grieve, just like there is no limit to how long grief should last.
Childhood traumatic grief is usually found in children who experience a traumatic or sudden loss and show much greater emotions of grief than that of what may be considered typical. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop due to such a significant loss, especially if the traumatic death was witnessed by the surviving child. PTSD symptoms include reliving the event over and over when the child tries to think of something else, this is known as intrusive thoughts. Also children may avoid things and places that remind them of their deceased sibling, and the child may feel emotionally disconnected. Even more common symptoms of PTSD in children is being hyper alert, easily startled, jumpy and, easily angered by little things that did not use to upset them.
Death is always a difficult part of life, but it is especially difficult for a child when a sibling dies; the whole family dynamic changes when this happens. Throughout life the relationship between siblings is ever changing, more so than any
Spring 2014
SIBLING DEATH AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMATIC GRIEF
Author: National Child Traumatic Stress Network Child Traumatic Grief Committee
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 2009
When someone close to a child dies, the child may experience deep emotional loss and grief. Children will grieve in their own way, and much of what they are feeling will show in their behavior. Children who were quiet and shy may start acting out and having tantrums, in the same token a child who is normally active and social may start showing a lack of interest in things they use to enjoy, or become quiet and reserved. Many children will experience feelings of guilt if they had a sibling die. Children are very self-centered and may believe that they caused their siblings death. Children, just like any person, will show grief in various ways; there is not right or wrong way to grieve, just like there is no limit to how long grief should last.
Childhood traumatic grief is usually found in children who experience a traumatic or sudden loss and show much greater emotions of grief than that of what may be considered typical. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop due to such a significant loss, especially if the traumatic death was witnessed by the surviving child. PTSD symptoms include reliving the event over and over when the child tries to think of something else, this is known as intrusive thoughts. Also children may avoid things and places that remind them of their deceased sibling, and the child may feel emotionally disconnected. Even more common symptoms of PTSD in children is being hyper alert, easily startled, jumpy and, easily angered by little things that did not use to upset them.
Death is always a difficult part of life, but it is especially difficult for a child when a sibling dies; the whole family dynamic changes when this happens. Throughout life the relationship between siblings is ever changing, more so than any