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| Young Alps shooting victim could still live normal life, say experts | Young Alps shooting victim could still live normal life, say experts |
| (12 days later) | |
| If the little girl found hidden behind the legs of her dead mother in Annecy receives swift and skilled help, say experts, she could go on to live something close to a normal life. | If the little girl found hidden behind the legs of her dead mother in Annecy receives swift and skilled help, say experts, she could go on to live something close to a normal life. |
| "There is evidence that children can come through trauma of this level," said Julie Stokes, a consultant clinical psychologist and founder of childhood bereavement charity Winston's Wish in London. | "There is evidence that children can come through trauma of this level," said Julie Stokes, a consultant clinical psychologist and founder of childhood bereavement charity Winston's Wish in London. |
| Stokes, who was given an OBE for her work with bereaved children, runs a service at the charity for children whose parents have been murdered. About half of the victims are killed by people known to the child, said Stokes, in murders often witnessed by the child. | Stokes, who was given an OBE for her work with bereaved children, runs a service at the charity for children whose parents have been murdered. About half of the victims are killed by people known to the child, said Stokes, in murders often witnessed by the child. |
| "What happened in France is particularly difficult but unfortunately these kinds of murders are not unusual," she said. "Inevitably there is deep trauma and children need good quality care very quickly but if they receive that, and have good alternative care, then they can achieve their potential and beyond." | "What happened in France is particularly difficult but unfortunately these kinds of murders are not unusual," she said. "Inevitably there is deep trauma and children need good quality care very quickly but if they receive that, and have good alternative care, then they can achieve their potential and beyond." |
| Children can sometimes process trauma by automatically filtering it out. "Often, they literally don't remember something an adult would think is too horrific to be forgotten," Stokes said. "It's important any questioning by the police doesn't ignite memories the child has put in a place where they don't need to be processed." | Children can sometimes process trauma by automatically filtering it out. "Often, they literally don't remember something an adult would think is too horrific to be forgotten," Stokes said. "It's important any questioning by the police doesn't ignite memories the child has put in a place where they don't need to be processed." |
| The "overwhelming" trauma for a child as young as four who has lost her parents is likely to be separation anxiety, she said. "Added to that is the risk of even deeper trauma from secondary losses," she said. "That can be minimised by recreating a sense of normality for her very quickly. She needs to be back in her own home, in her own bedroom, being looked after by adults she trusts. If she was just about to go to school and was excited about that, then that routine should be maintained." | The "overwhelming" trauma for a child as young as four who has lost her parents is likely to be separation anxiety, she said. "Added to that is the risk of even deeper trauma from secondary losses," she said. "That can be minimised by recreating a sense of normality for her very quickly. She needs to be back in her own home, in her own bedroom, being looked after by adults she trusts. If she was just about to go to school and was excited about that, then that routine should be maintained." |
| Dr Dora Black, a consultant psychiatrist and founder of the Traumatic Stress Clinic in London, agreed. "What she has experienced has been gruesome but it is sadly not unique. It is not rare for a child to see one parent being murdered – often by their other parent or step-parent. There are services set up for these children. With skilled, long-term help, there is no reason why this little girl should not recover. Children can go on to have normal lives even with traumatic experiences." | Dr Dora Black, a consultant psychiatrist and founder of the Traumatic Stress Clinic in London, agreed. "What she has experienced has been gruesome but it is sadly not unique. It is not rare for a child to see one parent being murdered – often by their other parent or step-parent. There are services set up for these children. With skilled, long-term help, there is no reason why this little girl should not recover. Children can go on to have normal lives even with traumatic experiences." |
| Black, author of a number of books and papers on bereavement and traumatic bereavement in childhood, including When Father Kills Mother, said the child's trauma must be treated before she is able to start to grieve. | Black, author of a number of books and papers on bereavement and traumatic bereavement in childhood, including When Father Kills Mother, said the child's trauma must be treated before she is able to start to grieve. |
| "It's very likely she will suffer severe PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. This will get in the way of mourning, which means the trauma has to be dealt with first. That might take six months of intensive, trauma-focussed CBT [cognitive behavioural therapy], after which she needs to get counselling for bereavement. | "It's very likely she will suffer severe PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. This will get in the way of mourning, which means the trauma has to be dealt with first. That might take six months of intensive, trauma-focussed CBT [cognitive behavioural therapy], after which she needs to get counselling for bereavement. |
| "But the thing that will determine more than anything else is quality of alternative care she gets. She needs to be at home with family members or placed with a permanent foster family: moving her around from one foster family to another would be dreadful." | "But the thing that will determine more than anything else is quality of alternative care she gets. She needs to be at home with family members or placed with a permanent foster family: moving her around from one foster family to another would be dreadful." |
| Black said the girl should see her sister as soon as possible, and that she also needs to be shown her parents' bodies. "Children as young as four don't understand the difference between life and death," Black said. "She needs to be helped to understand by seeing for herself that her parents no longer move or speak or feel." | Black said the girl should see her sister as soon as possible, and that she also needs to be shown her parents' bodies. "Children as young as four don't understand the difference between life and death," Black said. "She needs to be helped to understand by seeing for herself that her parents no longer move or speak or feel." |
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