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Is
EMDR appropriate with children?
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EMDR
has been used successfully with children and
adolescents. With all clients the establishing of
trust and rapport is essential. EMDR may be used in
combination with Play Therapy or other forms of
self-expression. EMDR with children can often quickly
reduce trauma that typically affects other aspects of
their lives, e.g. school, friends or home life. In
many cases EMDR can help children with the emotional
and social impact resulting from having a learning
disorder. While reducing the emotional impact of the
disorder, the treatment may or may not have an impact
on the learning disorder itself. Children with
learning disabilities have typically experienced
repeated academic failure, leading to frustration and
self-loathing. As an outlet, such children will often
turn to a peer group with similar developmental
difficulties. This, in turn, leads to conflict among
families, peer group, and school. As this conflict
escalates the child's self esteem is increasingly
wounded. The child may begin acting out, creating even
more stress for both the child and the family.
Symptoms may include forms of sleep disorder,
difficulty falling asleep or difficulty awakening,
decrease in appetite or turning to drugs or alcohol to
alleviate feelings of anger, anxiety or despair. It is
these types of trauma and symptoms that are being
successfully treated with EMDR.
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