Children and Coronavirus Infection (Covid-19): What to Tell Children to Avoid Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition thatcan develop in subjects who have been or have witnessed atraumatic, catastrophic or violent event, or who have becomeaware of a traumatic experience that happened to a loved one.Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) usually begins immediatelyafter the traumatic event and lasts from three days to a month,while Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be thecontinuation of an acute stress disorder and it may happen thatit does not develop until 6 months after the event itself.Generally most people overcome the shock that a blatant eventcan cause without the need for additional support. In apercentage of cases, the victim's suffering can be prolonged formore than a month after exposure to trauma and significantlyinterfere with the individual's working, social or school life; inthis case the diagnosis of PTSD must be made.