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Hints on how to resolve cPTSD medical trauma from toddler years

4 replies

ItsVeryComplicated · 04/12/2024 18:08

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask for advice on how to resolve cPTSD left from medical treatment my DS received in his toddler years?

ASD DS had to have his adenoids taken out twice before the age of three because of obstructive apnoea (age 14 months and 2.5 years). His nose had literally grown shut and everything was so extraordinarily difficult for years.

All this resolved when he was three and I stopped giving him wheat, but now that he is a teen it has become clear that he has really troublesome cPTSD with emotional flashbacks.

I wondered if anybody might know what to do to help resolve the PTSD? We see a therapist every week on zoom, but DS can't talk about any of it. He just chats about his favourite card games.

We also saw the MHST team and they said it was "just trauma" but didn't give us much idea about how to fix it. We are home schooling with an EOTAS package now. They did offer 6 sessions CBT but that really wouldn't touch the sides with this problem so we went private instead.

To add to the trouble, DH and I also struggle in social situations because of ASD and disability, so DS is quite isolated. I do wonder if this is part of the problem, especially with the lockdown years.

DS has given up computer gaming and is very very careful to avoid triggering stuff online and in books and whatnot, which has helped. We try to do lots of hunter gatherer style living. Lots of gardening and crafts and repairing things to get back to nature a bit. Also walking to the supermarket every day to buy fresh salad and vegetables and generally good food which he eats very enthusiastically. We have a paediatric nutritionist looking at it and she is giving us good advice.

I have seem Naomi Fisher's work.

I wondered if anybody might have other ideas about what to do. It's the intrusive thoughts and nightmares that are the hardest.

Thanks!

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 04/12/2024 18:09

EMDR is the recommended therapy.

ItsVeryComplicated · 04/12/2024 18:12

Do you know if there is a really good source where i could read about that to show DS without him having to talk to anybody about it?

I already trained him in tapping and he drums his hands and fingers and things a lot, alternating. He has actual drums and tuned percussion and has been doing a lot of percussion with his hands since I explained. He really enjoys it very much and says it does help a bit. I'm not sure if we are meant to do more than that.

OP posts:
Tuhlula · 04/12/2024 18:16

EMDR or rewind therapy...as they don't need to talk about the trauma.

https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/emdr.html

www.ptsduk.org/how-rewind-therapy-can-help-people-with-ptsd/

ItsVeryComplicated · 04/12/2024 18:29

Thanks, yes I see what you mean. We will try to think about how we can introduce more of that.

OP posts:
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