Book Review: Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes (North Atlantic Books) is a wonderful book written for parents, caregivers and professionals who work with children. This book provides definitions, symptoms at different ages, many examples of successful treatments for trauma in children and most importantly, ways in which families and caretakers can prevent the effects of a traumatic event. Any event which is overwhelming to our system can produce the long lasting effects of trauma. I highly recommend this book for parents who are dealing with the aftereffects of a difficult pregnancy, birth, or have children experiencing medical interventions, or sudden unexplained changes in behavior. There is help available.

The authors also discuss the role of helping a baby renegotiate a traumatic birth where the “rite of passage” through the birth canal is denied. They also note the role of cranial therapy for these infants: “When a baby is born by cesarean surgery, induced, or pulled out by forceps, important transition movements that he or she is preparing to make never occur. Light cranial work from a certified cranial-sacral practitioner who specializes in infant trauma can be useful in helping a baby complete these birth movements.“ p. 292

2008  Brenda Rosenberg