Introduction

Children speak to the heart, and mothers, fathers and other caregivers speak of their children from the heart. Yet, in the literature on psychological trauma, children and their adult caregivers occupy a disproportionately small place. This paradox reflects the pervasive tendency toward denial, and skepticism regarding the mere existence of severe effects of psychological trauma in childhood, resulting in the lack of proper care for many children in need of it. The purpose of this book is to present the state of the art on children’s vulnerability and resilience in the wake of psychological trauma, and contribute to the developing systems of care for traumatized children.