Brain/ Cognitive development

The term complex trauma describes a dual problem of children's exposure to multiple somatic event in the impact of this exposure on long-term and immediate outcomes. Complex trauma exposure typically results when a child is abused or neglected, but it can also be caused by multiple other events. Many children involved in the child welfare system have experienced complex trauma. The consequences of complex trauma exposure are devastating for a child. This is because complex trauma exposure typically interferes with the information of the secure attachment bond between a child and his/her caregiver. Normally, detachment between a child and caregiver is the primary source of safety and stability in a child's life. Lack of a secure attachment can result in a loss of core capacities for self-regulation and many other personality disorders later on in life. Children exposed to complex trauma often experience lifelong problems that place them at risk for additional trauma exposure and other difficulties. These difficulties may extend from childhood through adolescence into adulthood. A better view of the impact of complex trauma can be understood by examining traumas impact on a child's growth and development. There are seven primary domains of impairment observed in children exposed to complex trauma. The first is attachment, here the children have uncertainty about the reliability and predictability of the world. They also have problems with boundaries, distress and suspiciousness, social isolation, interpersonal difficulties, difficulty attending to others emotional states, difficulty with perspective taking, and difficulty and listing other people as allies. The second is biology, If they had sensorimotor developmental problems, which is from birth to approximately age two, they will begin to have increasing medical problems such as, hypersensitivity to physical contact, algesia, problems with coronation, balance, body tone, and difficulties localizing skin contact.