The Impact of Early Childhood Trauma on Children’s Behavior

Presented by Pradeep Gidwani, MD, MPH, FAAP; and Dr. Sarah Garrity
Sponsored by Gryphon House

Watch the Recording

While there are many effective, evidence-based strategies for addressing challenging behavior in the early childhood classroom, some children need additional support because of exposure to trauma. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a traumatic event is a shocking, scary, or dangerous experience that affects someone emotionally.

The purpose of this edWebinar is to describe early childhood trauma and discuss ways in which trauma can affect children’s behavior. Dr. Pradeep Gidwani and Dr. Sarah Garrity discuss topics including:

• Research on childhood trauma, risk and protective factors
• The importance of relationships and attachment
• The effects of trauma on young children
• Symptoms of trauma in early childhood
• How early childhood educators can support children affected by trauma

These topics are framed within the five assumptions of a humanistic approach to behavior guidance described in the book Effective Discipline Policies: How to Create a System that Supports Young Children’s Social-Emotional Competence.

Anyone involved with early childhood education will benefit from watching this recorded edWebinar. Learn about the impacts of early childhood trauma on children’s behavior, and how to support children who are affected by it.

About the Presenters

Pradeep Gidwani, MD, MPH, FAAP is a pediatrician and community health leader focused on creating systematic solutions and changes to improve the lives of children and their families. Currently, he works on team at American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3, San Diego and Imperial Counties (AAP-CA3) to provide Countywide Coordination and Support for two major community initiatives funded by First 5 Commission San Diego. AAP-CA3 supported programs have reached over 25,000 children annually for the last 10 years. Dr. Gidwani is on numerous community boards and is a past president of AAP-CA3.
He teaches at San Diego State University in the Department of Child and Family Development and serves on the Healthy Families American National Advisory Committee and California Nurse Family Partnership State Advisory Board. He is a Child Trauma Academy Fellow and a member of the Child Health Leadership Network through the Annie E Casey and David and Lucile Packard Foundations.

Dr. Sarah Garrity is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Family Development at San Diego State University and was a practitioner in the field of early care and education (ECE) for almost twenty years as a Head Start teacher, administrator, literacy coach, and consultant. She teaches classes on infant toddler development and language and literacy, as well as a capstone class designed to prepare students to enter the workforce. Her research involves the exploration of how best practices are implemented in the field, with a focus on continuity of care, teacher beliefs, and how high-quality behavior guidance policies can support children’s social-emotional competence. Her research foregrounds the socio-cultural and linguistic contexts in which teaching and learning take place and aims to improve educational outcomes for at-risk and underserved children and families.

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 Gryphon House, Inc. is an award-winning publisher of early childhood resources for teachers and parents.