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Around the world, children disproportionately bear the brunt of war. Childhood trauma can permanently change the way the brain develops, but its effects often do not become visible until adulthood. The world is currently experiencing its highest level of violent conflict in at least 30 years. As well as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there are at least 110 armed conflicts taking place in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
Many of these wars are being fought in cities and crowded civilian areas. Civilians, schools, hospitals and children’s shelters are being affected by indiscriminate missile and drone attacks in many war zones. Officials warn that, more than ever in modern history, the biggest victims of these geopolitical battles are children. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly warned that children are “disproportionately” bearing the brunt of modern conflicts.
Some of that effect is physical. Many children living in war zones are recruited into the conflict. Some people experience sexual abuse at the hands of armed attackers. But even without direct physical abuse, children in areas of armed conflict experience severe psychological distress. For example, children in cities in Ukraine’s border areas have spent 3,000 to 5,000 hours – between four and seven months – in underground shelters since Russia’s invasion two years ago.
“As the war drags on, the combination of fear, grief and separation from loved ones is having a massive impact on children,” said Leah James, a mental health support specialist at the United Nations. Forty percent of children are not attending school in person. ” The Children’s Fund (UNICEF) told DW. “The consequences are huge.” Experts say this is likely to result in disproportionately high levels of mental and psychiatric health problems for millions of people in the future.
developmental abnormalities
In Ukraine, with the conflict under close monitoring, psychosocial workers are concerned that the protracted nature of the Russia–Ukraine war is causing severe developmental delays in children. Neuroscientist Christoph Anacker of America’s Columbia University told DW that science dispels this concern. “Early life stressors can cause specific abnormalities in development and neural circuit function in adulthood, particularly those associated with stress responses,” she said.
Anacker explained that trauma in early childhood alters stress and fear responses in the amygdala, making the brain more sensitive to stress in adulthood. He noted that people who experienced adverse childhood circumstances often release stress hormones more frequently in response to stress than those who did not.
Children who experience it have an increased risk of anxiety and depression disorders and Alzheimer’s disease later in life, she said. Although PTSD will always be a concern for individuals who experience war, whether they are children or adults, overall “the adult brain is more resilient to stress because it is less plastic,” he said.
Frontline psychologists are supporting children and carers
In childhood, the brain goes through a so-called sensitive phase of development. During these periods of grief or anxiety, excessive stimulation or deprivation of input, such as separation from family or lack of social and emotional stimulation, can essentially rewire the brain, Anacker said.
“There is no effective way to reverse the effects of childhood trauma when we become adults,” he said. He said that that is why it is very important to minimize the impact of stress on children when they are in this sensitive period of development. James said UNICEF is working to reduce the long-term effects of early life stress on children growing up in Ukraine.
“Some of the interventions we do are simple – making sure children have a safe space to play and connect with others, teaching basic coping skills to help deal with grief and isolation,” James said. “But most of it is about supporting caregivers so that they can act as positive role models for children. It’s incredibly difficult to be a caregiver in a time of war. Taking the stress off their “Their children are also affected.”
James said the programs have been particularly helpful in identifying children and families who may need more practical support. However, UNICEF spokesperson Joe English told DW that children caught in conflict in other areas are not receiving the same support.
English explained that “Given the scale of need in conflicts around the world, and given the chronic and significant shortfall of humanitarian appeals in general and child protection in particular, many children are not able to access the support they need.” “May be necessary.”
While data about Ukrainian children and families is more readily available, the extent of the problem in other active war zones of the world, including Gaza, Yemen and South Sudan, is unknown due to a lack of reliable data.
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