Hidden Triggers: Common Ways We Accidentally Retraumatize Children in School

School should be a safe haven where children learn, grow, and develop healthy relationships. However, for children who have experienced trauma, certain aspects of the school environment can unexpectedly trigger feelings of fear, anxiety, or helplessness. These “hidden triggers” often go unnoticed by well-meaning educators and peers, unintentionally retraumatizing the very students they aim to support.

From seemingly benign classroom routines to interactions with authority figures, schools can be minefields for trauma-affected children. Understanding how common practices may exacerbate these children’s distress is essential for creating an environment where all students can thrive. In this article, we’ll uncover some of the most frequent ways children are retraumatized in school and explore how we can shift toward more trauma-sensitive practices.

1. Family Dynamics Assumptions

Not every child comes from a traditional family dynamic. Assuming that every student has a “mom” and a “dad” as their primary caregivers can be harmful. For example, family tree activities may force a child to publicly display the complexity or dysfunction within their family, potentially opening them up to bullying and harassment from peers who don’t understand their situation. This can be particularly triggering for children who have experienced family trauma or loss.

Please retire the titles "Muffins with Mommy" and "Daddy-Daughter Dance" while we are at it!

2. Loud Noises and Drills

Loud noises like sirens or fire alarms can be traumatic reminders of past experiences involving police or ambulance visits due to domestic violence or other tragedies. Even lock-down drills can evoke memories of hiding from abusive adults in their home.

For children with a history of trauma, these situations are not just unsettling—they can evoke deep-rooted fear and anxiety, disrupting their sense of safety in the classroom.

3. Transitions and Changes

Transitions can be especially challenging for children with a history of trauma, abuse, or neglect. When a child has been removed from their family of origin, changes in caregivers, teachers, or routines can feel incredibly unsafe. If a child has formed an attachment to a teacher or aide who suddenly leaves or is out sick, it can trigger feelings of abandonment. Preparing the child for upcoming changes allows their brain to process the shift, helping them feel more secure in what might otherwise feel like chaos.

Of course, children face many more triggers in school, but these are just a few of the most common ones I encounter in my work.

Understanding Trauma “Cues”

What we often refer to as triggers, or “cues,” occur throughout the day for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Adults, however, may not recognize the connection between these cues and the child's trauma in the moment.

Cues can be activated by various stimuli in the environment that consciously or subconsciously remind the child of their trauma. In addition to the examples listed above, cues can include:

- Specific smells

- Certain tones of voice

- Sudden, loud noises

- Colors (such as red, which might remind them of blood)

- Certain words or phrases

- Internal sensations (like a pounding heart)

- Behaviors from others that resemble those of a perpetrator

- Tastes or food that bring back memories

- Songs associated with the traumatic event

The list goes on.

Be Curious and Observant

Children experiencing a trauma response due to a subconscious cue may present as angry, defiant, anxious, overstimulated, impulsive, shut down, hopeless, frozen, or overly compliant. These behaviors can mask the root cause: an underlying trauma reaction.

As schools reopen across the country, let’s remember that school environments can be extremely stressful for children in care. Be a source of support and understanding, not just a disciplinarian.

Are You Struggling to Support Children Through Trauma?

At Beth Tyson Trauma Consulting, I specialize in guiding caregivers, social workers, and professionals in navigating the complexities of childhood trauma. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or service provider, understanding trauma’s impact is critical to building trust and fostering resilience in children.

With years of experience and a compassionate approach, I offer personalized consulting, training workshops, and practical strategies to help you recognize trauma triggers, support healing, and create safe, nurturing environments for children in your care.

Visit bethtyson.com to learn more and take the first step toward helping the children in your life thrive. Please feel free to also send me a direct message on LinkedIn.

Let’s work together to turn trauma into triumph!

Book Spotlight - Body and Brain Brilliance By Dr. Lori Desautels

I am honored to share that I was quoted in the new book Body and Brain Brilliance by renowned child expert Lori Desautels !

This book is a must-read for anyone working with children or interested in understanding the mind-body connection. This insightful book explores the latest neuroscience on how trauma and stress impact the brain, offering practical, hands-on strategies to help children build emotional resilience.

Desautels masterfully combines science with real-world application, making complex concepts accessible for educators, parents, and caregivers. It's an empowering guide for fostering empathy and helping children navigate the challenges of today's world with a more regulated and connected mind. Highly recommended!

Exclusive Interview

Check out Parts 1 and 2 of my appearance on Accidental Expert with Bryce Hamilton. These episodes are packed with actionable tips for supporting children who have experienced trauma

Get to know me better and hear my strategies on how we can build tenacity and support healing for children from hard places.

From the show notes: "In these powerful episodes of Accidental Experts with Bryce Hamilton, we are joined by Beth Tyson, a respected therapist, and childhood trauma consultant, to explore the impact of childhood trauma. Beth brings her extensive expertise to help us understand what trauma is for children, how it manifests, and the best ways to support and love children who have experienced it. Through compassionate guidance and practical advice, Beth sheds light on the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment for healing.

Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or simply someone who wants to make a positive difference in the lives of young ones, this episode offers invaluable insights into fostering resilience and well-being in children affected by trauma."

This interview was split into two parts. You can also listen to Part 1 and Part 2 wherever you get your podcasts.

PART 1:

PART 2:

What's New at BTTC?

In August, I had the privilege of traveling to Michigan to deliver an all-day training on birth trauma for the Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health (MOASH). I was deeply moved by the passion and dedication of this group, who work tirelessly to support pregnant and parenting youth.

From a professional standpoint, I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep the participants' attention all day, but from what I could tell, they were dialed in the whole time.

Afterward, one participant approached me to thank me for the diversity I included in my presentation—which was one of my main goals.

The statistics on birth trauma taking place in the BIPOC and LGTBQ+ communities are disproportionately higher than in the white cis community. The racism and discrimination baked into our healthcare system is disturbing, to say the least. Once you see it, you can't unsee it, IMO.

Preventing birth trauma is a subject that is very close to my heart because I believe it serves as a crucial starting point for improving both parent and infant mental health. Research shows that the first 60 days of life are the most critical for brain development.

With emotionally present and attuned caregivers during this pivotal time, we can significantly reduce the risk of long-term mental health challenges for both the child and the parent.

Exciting news

I'll travel to Oklahoma in October to be the Keynote Speaker at the Oklahoma Infant Mental Health Conference. Click the link for more information, and stay tuned for pics and updates!

Save the date!

As co-chair of the Child Abuse Prevention Team, I will co-host a free webinar on body safety for children and adolescents on October 11th at noon EST.

This event is in collaboration with HEAL PA , the Forum on Pennsylvania's Children, and Collectively Rooted . You won't want to miss it! We have several expert panelists joining us that day and a Q&A session. If you subscribe to the email version of this newsletter keep an eye out in your spam and regular inbox.

Quote of the Month

Top Picks and News from the Field of Trauma

"Inmates Training Hard-to-Adopt Dogs in New Mexico Creates Joy On Both Ends of a Leash"

Simplistic Fight or Flight Idea Undervalues the Brains Predictive Powers

"Scientists have known for some time that there’s no such thing as a unified limbic “system” dedicated exclusively to emotions. And the misnamed neocortex, which is properly called the cerebral cortex, is not the home of rationality. So where does this leave the fight-or-flight story?"

How New Mexico made child care free for most families - High Country News

"Research shows that interventions targeted at ages 0-5 are critical and cost-effective. One Nobel Laureate economist found that early childhood programs can improve outcomes for disadvantaged children in education, health, income, and behavior, ultimately resulting in a 13% return on investment."

Parents Distracted By Smartphones Linked To Higher Anxiety In Kids

"Technoference is becoming a pervasive part of parent-child interactions, and a growing literature suggests that technology-based interferences have mental health ramifications,” the authors noted.

The Brain Creates Three Copies for a Single Memory

"The researchers hope that one day, understanding what drives memories to be encoded and modified in the brain might help to soften those memories that are pathologically intrusive in our daily life, or bring back some that we thought lost forever."

In closing...

I've been gutted, once again, by the senseless mass shooting that took place in Georgia this week. My heart goes out to the Winder community and I am heartbroken for the state of our country.

While the deepest impact will be to the communities directly impacted, we are all being traumatized, including our children, by living with this level of fear and terror for simple things like going to school and the grocery store.

No parent or child should have to fear for their child's life while they are at school. It doesn't even matter whose "fault" it is at this point. A child's life should not be political. We MUST take action to stop this from happening again with common sense gun reform, preventing and healing childhood trauma, and speaking out about the warning signs and threats we see in our communities.

Teach your children to speak up if they hear or see something concerning in a youth or young adult's behavior. Maybe that's my next free webinar...

If you are scared to send your children to school, I'm with you. You're not being dramatic or overreacting. This threat is real.

Hoping for happier and less fearful times.

In grief, hope, and compassion,

Beth Tyson, MA

Childhood Trauma Therapist/Consultant