Back to top
Traumatic Grief
While many children adjust well after a death, other children have ongoing difficulties that interfere with everyday life and make it difficult to recall positive memories of their loved ones. A child may have a traumatic reaction after a death that was sudden and unexpected (e.g., through violence or an accident) or a death that was anticipated (e.g., due to illness). If the child’s responses are severe or prolonged and interfere with his or her functioning, the child maybe experiencing Childhood Traumatic Grief.