Animal attacks can be terrifying for children (and adults) and have long term effects
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common long-term effect of being a trauma victim, and victims of animal attacks are no exception to this rule.
It is well documented in child welfare reporting that the majority of reported animal attack cases in the U.S. are on children. According to The Center for Disease Control and the American Veterinarian Association, the highest reported incident rates involve 5-9 year olds, and 77% of those injuries are to the face, neck, and head. This, of course, is particularly terrifying for children, especially considering that the family dog is the aggressor in nearly half of the attacks.
Medical attention is usually the very first action taken when a child is bitten or attacked by a dog or other animal. A dog attack can cause lacerations, punctures, crush injuries, nerve damage, sprain and strain of muscles, infection… and of course, emotional distress.
A 2004 study found that over half of (studied) animal attack victims had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder 2 to 9 months after sustaining a dog bite injury. (Citation: Peters, V. et. al. Post-traumatic stress disorder after dog bites in children. J. Pediatrics, 2004, 144, 121-122.)
It’s therefore important that children (and anyone) who have been attacked by animals and exhibit PTSD symptoms are given follow-up psychological treatment.
Peter Levine, an expert in the field of healing trauma with a technique called somatic experiencing, names the following symptoms as common ones in the wake of an animal attack:
- excessive fear
- feeling that the world is a dangerous place
- anxiety
- sensitivity to sounds or light
- difficulty sleeping
- difficulty in defending oneself
- stuck in a pattern of compulsive attack or rage
- stuck in a pattern of running away (difficulty with commitment)
- helplessness
- frequent re-enactments
Interestingly, Levine makes the connection that we are all in fact animals, and that “the involuntary and instinctual parts of the human brain and nervous system are virtually identical to those of other mammals.” He goes on to explain how our own reaction to trauma mimics the Fight, Flight or Freeze response that wild animals instinctually use to survive.
However, it’s important to remember that we are not just animals.
The difference between people and animals lies in the prolonged state of the reaction to an attack. When an animal is no longer in danger, it is able to easily shake off the energy of fear and self-defense. This allows animals to return to their normal state of functioning pretty quickly. On the other hand, people who experience PTSD will suffer the negative effects of an attack long after the attack is over.
Animal attack victims suffering from PTSD may handle threats by reacting inappropriately aggressively (the “fight” response). They may, on the other hand, be in a constant hypervigilant state that prompts them to flee even the most minutely anxiety-provoking circumstances (such as hearing a dog bark in the distance). And in particular, animal attack PTSD sufferers tend to cleave to the “freeze” mentality, opting to numb out or check out when presented with stressful situations, rather than deal with them directly.
Studies show that traumatic events can actually result in neurological damage in children.
Reduced hippocampal activity in children with PTSD can affect their memory permanently. In one study, “Children between the ages of 10 and 17 were divided into a group with a confirmed diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (arising from a variety of traumatizing events) and compared with a group of children with no post traumatic stress disorder. Brain scans (e.g. MRI) were taken simultaneously when subjects completed a test for verbal memory. The test consisted of having subjects read a list of words from one list, then read an additional set of words from another list, and then try to remember which words were on the original list. Compared with children without posttraumatic stress disorder, those with PTSD did poorly on this test, and during testing these subjects also showed considerably less electrical activity in their hippocampus.” (Citation: Carrión, V. et. al., Reduced hippocampal activity in youth with post-traumatic stress symptoms: An MRI study, J. Pediatric Psychology, 2010, in press)
The brutality of nature comes close to home when an animal attacks occurs. Whether it’s the rare tragic incident at a zoo or an all-too-common bite by a neighbor’s dog, being attacked by an animal is a terrifying event that can have lasting effects.
Barking dogs are a very common noise and almost impossible to avoid in daily life. Therefore, victims of animal bite trauma might be constantly reminded of their experience in their everyday lives.
