Understanding children's recovery after trauma is considered important but existing theories are mainly based on adult research. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 25 purposively sampled children (8-12 years old) exposed to single-incident trauma. The children had been affected by the event itself but also by a long aftermath with secondary stressors. Most children had recovered gradually, were impressed by and benefited from the social support they received, and displayed a wide

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... ge of coping behaviors (categorized under concentrating on the normal and the positive; avoiding risks and reminders; actively working through trauma; seeking support). Current theories need child-focused adjustments. 2 Chapter 6 Children's perspectives on dealing with trauma Children who are exposed to trauma, such as a serious road traffic accident, a house fire, the sudden life-threatening condition or death of a family member, natural or manmade disaster, and individual or mass violence, are helped by various child serving agencies. These include health, mental health, education, child welfare, first responder, and criminal justice systems. 1 Children's functioning and well-being after exposure depend on these professionals' understanding of traumatic stress. 2,3 'Trauma-informed care' can change the way in which children respond to and cope with emotional reactions to trauma and improve general outcomes, both physically and psychosocially. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding how children deal with traumatic events. At least 14% of all children 4 -more than 65% in some population samples 5 -are exposed to trauma in peacetime. Although most children recover after displaying initial stress symptoms, a significant minority suffers from long-term psychological problems. Estimations are that 36% of the children who have been exposed to trauma, develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD 6,7 ). PTSD is characterized by symptoms of intrusion (e.g., recurrent distressing memories, nightmares), avoidance and numbing (e.g., avoiding conversations about the experience, losing interest in former hobbies), and hyperarousal (e.g., irritability, concentration difficulties). The disorder can impair children's development in emotional, social, academic, as well as physical domains. 8,9