Military Kids

WHEN A PARENT HAS PTSD

Parent's PTSD symptoms can be directly linked to their child's responses. Children can respond in certain ways:

The "Over-Identified" child might feel and behave like their parent as a way of trying to connect with the parent, so the child might show many of the same symptoms as the parent with PTSD.

The "Rescuer" child takes on the adult role to fill in for the parent with PTSD. The child acts too grown-up for his or her age.

The "Emotionally Uninvolved" child gets little emotional help resulting in problems at school, depression, anxiety, worry, fear, and relationship problems later in life.

For more information about Children with parents who suffer from PTSD, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.