Accessing trauma and development in immigrant children

What is it about?

Children who experience lifetime traumatic events are shown to have higher rates of developmental delay and exhibit symptoms such as early language difficulties, auditory impairments, and learning disabilities. Immigrants are at a higher risk of experiencing trauma in their lifetime compared to native-born US citizens. Although other studies have linked trauma to the risk of developmental delay, few have focused on primarily Latino immigrant children. A cross-sectional survey was completed by caregivers of immigrant children (2-5 years of age) who visited the clinic during January to March 2023.

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Photo by Aritra Roy on Unsplash

Photo by Aritra Roy on Unsplash

Why is it important?

To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association between traumatic events and risk for poor childhood development in young preschool immigrant children. This study demonstrated the importance of screening for trauma as part of routine primary care visits. This study demonstrates an association between trauma and development among immigrant children, and emphasizes the importance of screening for trauma, monitoring developmental milestones, and developing interventions to mitigate negative effects of trauma on young immigrants.