In the following video, Dr Vicky Graham describes how the brain and body shut down in response to fear, and how to help an overwhelmed person. Many Early Childhood Educators work with children who are struggling. Understanding how fear, stress and trauma impact the developing child’s brain provides a framework to enact trauma-informed practice.
The normal responses to fear can be described as the four Fs:
These normal behaviours are automatic, and occur when a person feels threatened. Unfortunately trauma can create a cycle of overactivity; overwhelming the nervous system until it stops functioning well.
Vision and hearing are the most common senses to shut down with overwhelm. This presentation describes visual overwhelm as an easily recognisable sign and offers some strategies for management.