What is Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD)?
Exposure
Triggered Pattern of repeated dysregulation in response to trauma cues
Persistently Altered Attributions and Expectancies
Functional Impairment
- Multiple or chronic exposure to one or more forms of developmentally adverse interpersonal trauma (eg, abandonment, betrayal, physical assaults, sexual assaults, threats to bodily integrity, coercive practices, emotional abuse, witnessing violence or death).
- Subjective experience (eg, rage, betrayal, fear, resignation, defeat, shame).
Triggered Pattern of repeated dysregulation in response to trauma cues
- Dysregulation (high or low) in presence of cues. Changes persist and do not return to baseline; not reduced in intensity by conscious awareness.
- Affective
- Somatic (eg, physiological, motoric, medical)
- Behavioral (eg, re-enactment, cutting)
- Cognitive (eg, thinking that it is happening again, confusion, dissociation, depersonalization).
- Relational (eg, clinging, oppositional, distrustful, compliant).
- Self- attribution (eg, self-hate, blame)
Persistently Altered Attributions and Expectancies
- Negative self-attribution.
- Distrust of protective caretaker.
- Loss of expectancy of protection by others.
- Loss of trust in social agencies to protect.
- Lack of recourse to social justice/retribution.
- Inevitability of future victimization.
Functional Impairment
- Educational
- Familial
- Peer
- Legal
- Vocational
What is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)?
Leanne specializes in helping adolescents with RAD and other attachment, relationship issues.
Reactive Attachment Disorder is a condition in which individuals struggle to form authentic and loving relationships. Often, they do not trust anyone other than themselves to provide for their needs and safety. Reactive Attachment Disorder can be the result of disruptions, abnormalities and/or trauma during the first few years of life.
Common Causes:
Common Symptoms In Infants:
Common Symptoms In Children & Adolescents:
Reactive Attachment Disorder is a condition in which individuals struggle to form authentic and loving relationships. Often, they do not trust anyone other than themselves to provide for their needs and safety. Reactive Attachment Disorder can be the result of disruptions, abnormalities and/or trauma during the first few years of life.
Common Causes:
- Abuse/Neglect in the first three years of life
- Multiple primary caregivers
- Separation from birthmother due to hospitalization, incubator, etc.
- Many placements in the foster care system
- Unresolved pain — ear infections, colic, etc.
- In-utero or post-natal maternal alcohol/drug use
- In-utero or post-natal maternal depression
- In-utero or post-natal lack of attunement between mother and child
Common Symptoms In Infants:
- Sensitivity to Touch
- Poor Eye Contact
- Constant Crying/Whining
- Rage
- No Reciprocal Response
- Indifference to Others
- Feeding Problems
Common Symptoms In Children & Adolescents:
- Superficially Charming and Engaging
- Indiscriminately Affectionate with Strangers
- Not Affectionate on Parents' Terms
- Extreme Control Issues
- Lack of Cause and Effect Thinking
- Indifferent to Consequences
- Lying about the Obvious
- Stealing
- Lack of Empathy
- Lack of Conscience Development
- Lack of Eye Contact on Parental Terms
- Destructive to Self, Others, Animals and Property
- No Impulse Control
- Unusual Eating and Sleeping Patterns
- Unsuccessful Peer Relationships
- Incessant Chatter or Persistent Nonsense Questions
- Very Demanding
- Short Attention Span
- Unusual Speech Patterns (Mumbling, robotic speech, talking very softly)
- Constant Movement
