Does My Child Have PTSD?: What to Do When Your Child Is Hurting from the Inside Out

by Jolene Philo

$15.95

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Author: Jolene Philo

Publisher: Familius

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1942934017
ISBN 13: 978-1942934011

Is it possible that the struggles you have with your child may be because he or she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Once ignored, even by the medical professionals treating war veterans, PTSD is gaining global recognition as a very real and serious issue for those who have experienced traumatic events, even children.

When children experience medical illness, witness violence, or are abused, it can leave a lasting effect. According to recent studies, 50 to 60 percent of children who experience these traumas early in life may suffer from a form of PTSD, leading to issues in childhood, through adolescence, and even into adulthood. Does My Child Have PTSD? is designed for readers looking for answers about the puzzling, disturbing behaviors of children in their care.

With years of research and personal experience, Philo provides critical information to help people understand causes, symptoms, prevention, and effective diagnosis, treatment, and care for any child struggling with PTSD.

Review

“Jolene Philo is in a unique position to write with both expertise and compassion . . . parents are seeking readable and useful information and Philo delivers!”
—Susan H Badeau, President of the North American Council on Adoptable Children

“Philo's book will provide a needed resource for parents of children who have experienced trauma.”
—Dr. Beth Robinson, Professor of Counseling at Lubbock Christian University

"Author Philo shares the remarkable story of her son's 26 years of suffering and the relief from 'mental anguish' he found in one week after being diagnosed with PTSD. Philo's son, Allen, first experienced breathing difficulties immediately following birth; by age four he had undergone five surgeries. At six months—though medical professionals repeatedly insisted 'babies don't feel pain'—he screamed when seeing anyone in a white coat. It wasn't until the family found an outpatient clinic years later that Allen was correctly diagnosed and, through 'self-therapy,' first began to cope. Philo's dramatic story will capture the reader's attention, and there's tremendous value in her patient explanations, from a simple definition of trauma to an exploration of PTSD causes, myths, and common terminology. In a single sentence, Philo can make a dramatic statement (e.g., trauma 'changes the very structure of the brain') and then evenly explain the physiology behind it. Though occasionally heart-wrenching, the book is organized so simply and logically as to be easy to follow and digest. Each chapter ends with 'reflection questions' and additional valuable resources. Philo concludes on a hopeful note, providing encouragement and reassurance for other families in similar situations."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

About the Author

Professional and personal experiences allow Philo to address childhood trauma and PTSD from several perspectives. She is a parent who advocated within the health care community for two decades for her child who lived with PTSD for twenty-six years. She is a caregiver who accompanied both a son and a son-in-law during successful treatment for PTSD rooted in childhood trauma. For two years, she taught traumatized students at Sky Ranch for Boys. She is an educator who collaborated with special education teachers to mainstream traumatized children in her classroom during twenty-three years as a public school teacher. For four years, she was a paid staff member and director of discipleship and assimilation at her local church. Philo is the author of two extensively researched resource books for parents of children with special needs, A Different Dream for My Child: Meditations for Parents of Critically and Chronically Ill Children (2009) and more recently, Different Dream Parenting: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs, which was released in November of 2011. Both books were finalists in the special needs divisions of About.com's 2011 and 2012 Readers's Choice Awards. Philo has also written over 100 articles for magazines such as Health Connect, ParentLife, Focus on the Family, indeed, Facets for Women, P31 Woman, and Home Cooking. She's been interviewed about special needs parenting on radio stations across the country.

Philo speaks at special needs conferences, both parent and professional, around the country. She's a regular workshop presenter at McLean Bible Church's nationally known Accessibility Summit, at the Iowa Christian Writers's Conference, and at the Breathe Writers's Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was the special needs workshop presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) 2010 International Convention. She was also the keynote speaker at the 2010 National Conference of Trauma Therapists in Morgantown, West Virginia. She conducts accreditation workshops about PTSD and other parenting issues at the the Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association (IFAPA) annual conferences. She is also presented accreditation workshops at the Texas Foster Family Association (TFFA) winter conference and at the National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) annual conference.

Philo connects with parents of kids with special needs at her blog, , which was named one of the best special needs parenting blogs by . She guest blogs about childhood PTSD at the national, award-winning blog, , and is a regular blogger for , a website for parents of kids with special needs. She participates in numerous Facebook groups for parents of kids with special needs and conducts online book studies for parents of kids with special needs. At she blogs about daily life along their little gravel road.

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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Does My Child Have PTSD?: What to Do When Your Child Is Hurting from the Inside Out