Research indicates that complex trauma often causes changes in brain integration and organization which results in delays in development in many areas. The evidence is clear that children who have suffered from complex trauma are often impacted in the following 7 Developmental Domains:
Below you will find a list of items that may be helpful for your child. Each item has been specifically chosen by our team of trauma-informed therapists to help with one or more developmental domains listed above.
The items below are broken down into easy-to-understand categories that parents, teachers and caregivers often ask our team about.
If you would like more information about how to best support a child who has endured adverse childhood experiences, please contact our clinical team to learn how your child scores among the 7 Developmental Domains
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH SLEEP?
Children who have had difficult experiences early in life, especially between 0-2 years, often have difficulty with sleep. Early adverse childhood experiences impact the neurological wiring of the brain which can affect the sleep cycle (i.e. falling asleep, waking up multiple times and/or flipping and flopping throughout the night).
| Product Name | Image | Description | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream Pad Pillow |  | Many children who have experienced complex trauma have difficulty sleeping. The Dreampad pillow plays soothing music with gentle vibrations, which encourages the nervous system to relax and thereby allowing our children to calm down and sleep peacefully. |  |
| White Noise & Sound Machine |   | A sound generator is often helpful in helping children who are highly aroused. Using sounds that provide patterned, repetitive and rhythmic stimulation will sooth the brain and help children fall and stay asleep throughout the night. This sound generator allows you to choose from 20 sounds and operates on rechargeable batteries so you can take it with you anywhere you need to go. |  |
| Puppy Heartbeat Stuffy |   | While this toy may be designed for puppies, we have had success in using it with children. The puppy stuffy provides a soothing “real feel” of a warm heartbeat and can be cuddled and snuggled with throughout the night. For children who are anxious, appear distractible, or have difficulty sleeping, this heart beat puppy stuffy provides patterned, repetitive stimulation that may help regulate your child’s nervous system enabling your child to experience a deeper and more restful sleep. | |
| Weighted Blanket |   | For some children a weighted blanket feels soothing and encourages their body to calm down and sleep through the night. May be helpful for children who are typically restless at night or frequently wake up at night. | |
| Sensory Compression Bed Sheet |   | For children who like deep pressure but get too hot at night, a sensory compression sheet wraps tightly around the mattress to provide deep sensory pressure, without the weight. Can stimulate the feeling of being hugged or held and may be helpful for kids who seek sensory input. | |
DOES YOUR CHILD PRESENT WITH “ADHD-LIKE” BEHAVIOURS?
This is often where educators want to start! To the adult observer, the child may appear to have excess energy, unable to sit still, constantly seeking stimulation, and difficulty taking in information. In this state, it is extremely difficult to regulate and be receptive to learning. Complex trauma research indicates that children who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences have physiological changes in their brain and body that make it extremely difficult to control impulses and be present. If you can imagine living in the child’s body, they are often sitting at the top of the stress staircase. The main focus is for the adult to help the child (co-regulate) move down the stress staircase before learning can happen.
| Product Name | Image | Description | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figit for your Digit |  | Helps keep busy hands occupied; gently massages fingers; can reduce stress and help with excess energy. | |
| Sit and Move Cushion |  
| Engages core muscles to maintain balance to help get the extra wiggles and energy out. | |
| Elastic Bands for Chair Legs |   | Elastic bands placed on the bottom of chair legs can be helpful to expend excess energy. The thicker the band, the more energy the child will expend. | |
| Hokki/Wobble Chairs |   | For children who need to move, a wobble chair allows movement while seated at a table. | |
| Weighted Animals |   | Weighted stuffed animals have a therapeutic benefit in alleviating excess energy, supporting with attention, and helping to calm the nervous system (i.e. come down the stress staircase). | |
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH ANXIOUS ENERGY?
Anxiety is a normal part of our everyday lives. It becomes a problem when it interferes with day to day functioning. When children are overwhelmed, their brain and body can go into fight, flight or freeze mode. Children who have experienced complex trauma have learned that their fight, flight, freeze responses were once adaptive ways to cope during the adversity and will require support to learn new healthy ways to cope with stress. The following tools are often helpful in calming anxious energy.
| Product Name | Image | Description | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book – Lost at school – Dr. Ross Greene |  
| … | |
| Book - Calm, Alert, and Learning - Dr. Stuart Shanker |  
| … | |
| Animal Breathing: Breathe Up Wonder Pup book |  
| … | |
| “Me” Bag or Calming Kit | A “me” bag or calming kit can help children focus on their 5 senses bringing them into the here and now. This kit could be kept in a cozy space in the home or classroom. The following items are examples of what could be added. A mirror with an erasable marker, textures (i.e. fur, bubble wrap, etc.), feather (for breathing), favourite books, a picture of a loved one, a stuffed animal, a rock, aromatherapy scents, snack. | ||
| Egg/Pod Chair |   | Create a safe cozy space – this can be a mini tent or you can create your own by using a large box! | |
| Body Socks |  
| Body/Sensory Socks can help increase body awareness, motor planning skills, and decrease stress through deep pressure simulation. | |
| Oral Motor Chews |   | Oral motor chews can be helpful for children who have sensory needs. This tool helps reduce anxiety and stress. They provide a safe alternative to chewing on hands, pens, clothing, and other objects. | |
| Breathing Ball/Hoberman Sphere |   | Deep breathing helps calm the brain and body by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system. Visual learners can benefit from a visual and physical experience like Hoberman Sphere which opens up as the child breathes in and closes while the child breathes out. Watch this link to demonstrate how to use Hoberman Sphere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnNATiWYyx0 | |
| Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty |   | Looking for a way to get into here and now? Crazy Aaron’s thinking putty helps the brain relax and opens up creative thinking. This putty bounces, bends, tears, stretches, snaps and pops! | |
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH LOW ENERGY/SYMPTOMS SIMILAR TO DEPRESSION?
Some children or teens who have been through complex trauma display symptoms similar to depression, such as low energy, low motivation, low mood, narrow range of emotions, and sleeping a lot. The following tools and recommendations are focused on increasing physiological arousal within the child’s body to increase mental and physical well-being. It is often helpful to have areas at home and school that children/teens can access when needing to rev up their energy.
| Product Name | Image | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
| Jump rope |  
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| Pogo Jumper |  
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| Mini indoor trampoline | |
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH SHAME/LOW SELF-ESTEEM?
Many children who have had complex trauma struggle with shame. We all come into the world dependent on our caregivers for protection and love. We learn about ourselves through our experiences with our primary caregivers. For children who have been hurt (abused, neglected, had inconsistent caregiving) by their primary caregivers this often instills a deep sense of “I’m broke” or “I’m unloveable” in the child. The presentation of shame can look like “bravado”, “grandiose”, low self-esteem, defiance, sabotaging relationships, perfectionism, or breaking toys of self or others, stealing, and “storytelling” (lying). Combating shame is hard work and takes years of consistent and persistent love.
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH LEARNING/RECOGNIZING EMOTIONS, HOW TO REGULATE, AND SOCIAL SITUATIONS?
Often children who have had complex trauma struggle with emotions; be that, recognizing emotions within themselves and others, regulating their emotions, and understanding social cues and navigating social situations. Children will do what you do before they do what you say. The following tools are suggested for the adult to utilize with the child, because co-regulation is key for successful learning.
DOES YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE WITH LEARNING?
Often children who have experienced complex trauma struggle with learning. This can look like difficulty processing and remembering information, planning ahead, organizing, getting started, finishing tasks, getting lost with more than 1-2 instructions, transitioning to a new activity, difficulty with changes in plans, and becoming easily distracted. Often visual cues, simplifying, repetition, and slowing down can be incredibly helpful for children who struggle in this area.
| Product Name | Image | Description | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 151 piece visual cue cards and schedule |   | Visual cues are particularly helpful for young children who do not yet read, children who do not have strong language skills or solid memory systems, or children who have poor self-esteem or are easily distractible. In our experience visual schedules can set children up for success as they learn to master their day or what is expected of them through visual reminders. | |
| Visual Schedule – Melissa and Doug daily schedule / responsibility magnet |  
| Visual cues are particularly helpful for young children who do not yet read, children who do not have strong language skills or solid memory systems, or children who have poor self-esteem or are easily distractible. In our experience visual schedules can set children up for success as they learn to master their day or what is expected of them through visual reminders. | |
| Ear Muffs |  
| For children who get easily distracted, wearing ear muffs or noise cancelling headphones can be very helpful to increase focus. Ear muffs block out noise, whereas noise cancelling headphones use technology to pick up low-frequency noise and neutralize it before the sound reaches the ear. Additionally, with noise cancelling headphones you can utilize the bluetooth function to listen to calming music. | |
| Noise Cancelling Headphones |  
| For children who get easily distracted, wearing ear muffs or noise cancelling headphones can be very helpful to increase focus. Ear muffs block out noise, whereas noise cancelling headphones use technology to pick up low-frequency noise and neutralize it before the sound reaches the ear. Additionally, with noise cancelling headphones you can utilize the bluetooth function to listen to calming music. | |
| Countdown Timer (visual learners) |  
| A visual timer can be a great tool for children of all ages. Children who are anxious or hypervigilant may cope better with having to wait, or practice waiting with visual cues as they watch the time reduce. This timer has no ticking and no distractions, with an on/off optional alert for when the time is up. | |
