Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In A 4-Year Old Battered Baby

Abstract

There is growing recognition that preschool children who are exposed to traumatic life events often experience impairing mental health problems which can affect their normal development. The common classificatory systems that are used currently like DSM and ICD have not paid adequate attention to the developmental differences in psychiatric presentations. However the newer diagnostic systems like DC Zero to three and researchers have put forth alternate criteria which has also been incorporated into the proposed revision of DSM V. This case report of a four year old boy who had posttraumatic stress disorder also adds to the recent argument for adopting a more developmentally sensitive criteria.