Child Life Trauma-Informed Care Flashcards

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) in child life specialists is best described as:

Answer: Indirect trauma symptoms arising from empathic engagement with traumatized patients and families

Secondary traumatic stress occurs when practitioners absorb the trauma narratives of those they help, developing trauma-like symptoms through empathic engagement rather than direct exposure.

The concept of the 'window of tolerance,' relevant to trauma-informed pediatric care, refers to:

Answer: The optimal zone of nervous system arousal in which a child can process experiences and engage in learning

The window of tolerance describes the zone of optimal arousal where a child's nervous system is regulated enough to engage, process information, and participate in coping—not in hyper- or hypo-arousal states.

Which of the following best reflects a trauma-sensitive communication strategy when preparing a child for a needle procedure?

Answer: Providing honest, developmentally appropriate preparation with coping options and a sense of predictability

Honest, developmentally tailored preparation with coping choices reduces unpredictability and powerlessness—two key trauma triggers—while building trust and self-efficacy.

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) in children following medical trauma refers to:

Answer: Positive psychological changes that can emerge as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances

Post-traumatic growth describes positive psychological transformation—such as increased resilience, empathy, or new possibilities—that can emerge from the struggle with highly challenging experiences.

According to polyvagal theory, relevant to trauma-informed care, which state is associated with social engagement, connection, and learning in children?

Answer: Ventral vagal regulation (safe and social)

Polyvagal theory describes the ventral vagal state as the 'safe and social' state where the nervous system is regulated enough for connection, engagement, and learning—the ideal state for therapeutic intervention.

Which of the following is an evidence-based approach for building resilience in children who have experienced medical trauma?

Answer: Fostering safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and supporting mastery experiences

Resilience is built through safe, stable, nurturing relationships and experiences of mastery—these are protective factors that buffer the effects of trauma and adversity.

When working with a child who has a trauma history, the child life specialist notices the child freezes and becomes unresponsive during a dressing change. The most appropriate immediate response is to:

Answer: Pause the procedure, use a calm voice, offer grounding strategies, and check in with the child before continuing

Freezing is a dorsal vagal trauma response; the appropriate trauma-informed response is to pause, use grounding techniques to help the child return to a regulated state, and resume only when the child is ready.