Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comDog bites can leave kids with emotional scars too
Seeded on Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:30 AM EDT (msnbc.com)
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I was bitten by a dog when I was 10. My parents freaked out, but I thought it was *cool* because I now had a hole in me and got stitches!
My brother was bitten suddenly while his back was turned, by a neighbor's dog that he knew to be friendly (he had played with their kids and both their dogs numerous times). He most definitely developed symptoms of PTSD. I can remember seeing him go blank when he saw that dog, and then begin to quiver, and him waking up screaming from nightmares about it as well. It took him years to be comfortable around ANY dog after that, even the most friendly non-aggressive dog in the world. Even a tied-up dog was a big deal for him. It was also really tough because our neighbors kept that dog and did not tie him up, and our route home from the bus-stop took us directly through a short-cut through their yard (the only other way to do it was to go around, a two-mile trek). Oddly enough, having me, his baby sister with him, worked well. When the dog would bark and lunge at him, I'd come around from the other side and growl, bark, and lunge back, and the dog would slink off. No other dog has ever done that for me, probably because with no other dog was I defending my "hero" (I was five at the time, my brother was eight).
I was bit by a very big strange dog somewhere between 2 and 3. My mother thought if she didn't talk about it, I would forget it. All she would do was confirm it happened and then assure me I wasn't hurt because of the training pants. (This was when they used heavy cotton training pants with thick rubber waterproof pants on top.) As a kid, I was terrified of all dogs, big or small. Because my brother made fun of my fears, I didn't ask him until about my teens. Turned out he was there, too, and everything I remembered was accurate, to the type and color of dog, the fact I was sitting in a swing, etc. Once I talked with him, I was able to start working on the fears, starting with being around the puppies and small dogs of friends. Still can't handle being around very large dogs, unless I know their owners and they are present. Not sure it would be PTSD since my fears were limited to dogs, and only if I was in the actual presense of a dog. I suspect serious dog bites that require ER treatment often are strange dogs, therefore more likely to cause emotional damage. Whereas the family pet, or a friend's pet, is more likely to bite in overzealous play or as a warning, and not only is usually less severe a bite, but less traumtizing emotionally.
One of my first jobs was one taking care of disabled kids. A dog charged one of the kids, I stepped over to block the kid from the dog, and I got bit thought my blue-jeans. There was a little blood but no stitches for me. Later on I saw the the dog again at the same house and the owners had the vocal cords of the dog severed so it hardly could bark but was still aggressive.
As a trainer of dogs and also someone who works with kids who have been bitten, many times, the biggest problem is the parents! Parents scream and over react so badly, the child becomes hysterical. As hard as it is, taking control of the situation and remaining as calm as possible is better for your child. Also knowing how to handle the situation is best. Many parents keep their child away from dogs after a bite and tell them how dangerous they are. Not a good thing.
Steve, no one severs the vocal cords. The dog was debarked which is still a legal surgery in some states. It was a foolish thing to do as barking is a warning. Better the dog had been trained and that is 95% of the problem with these situations. People simply will not socialize and train their dogs!
Fluffy, sorry but you sort of set yourself up for things! No matter what, you were trespassing on the dog's property! The dog was guarding it's territory and that is what dogs will do. Your parents should have been more responsible and met you at the bus station if the walk was so far. Considering the way you barked and lunged at the dog, you were quite lucky the dog did not go after you and maul you..... You were "teasing the dog on it's own property" and things could have gone the other way. Parents have an obligation to teach their children and dog owners have an obligation to train their dogs. Otherwise dog bites will continue to be major problems.
Oh Geeze. More wonderments presented by so-called "experts". When I was a kid I got bitten by more dogs...... and all we did in those days and in that place was put some iodine on the bite and a bandaid or bandage. Don't think you can even buy iodine in America for some reason nowadays. I always adored dogs and was very gentle with them but some dogs did not adore kids (abuse?) . Nobody sued anybody - life happens. Parents didn't go into a frantic tizzy and make a stupid comotion - which itself can often cause an "emotional scar" reaction to an incident. Most parents now don't even bother to teach their kids how to treat animals with kindness and respect..... which often leads to abuse, intended and unintended, of animals and also mindless fear in the animal which feel they have no recourse but to ..............bite. I had more emotional scars from my father's emotional and verbal and physical abuse than from any of the many dog bites I got, the latter never gave me a second thought and I continued to love and to rescue abused dogs throughout my life.
Ash... I don't know what you're talking about. The article is about a study of some 300 + kids which found that kids who were bitten severely were also at threat of suffering a post-traumatic stress disorder. Now that there is solid evidence to support this conslusion, parents and medical staff are urged to be prepared to deal with psychological damage as well as the physical wounds. The article isn't demonizing dogs or telling parents to sue dog owners. Why then are you ranting against?
Sorry Didn't realize I was "ranting" :( I would need more info as to what happened when they were bitten, the reaction of the adults/parents, etc. at that specific time. And I am not excusing any ultra severe bites or mauling. But a plain old dog bite is often made way too much of by the adults which, in turn, makes it a far greater event in the mind of the child.
These were dog bites treated in the ER. This means most would be too serious for the old iodine and bandage, or dogs that were not the family's or close friend's pets where infection and rabies prevention would be a concern.
Whether or not a dog is normally viscious, all dogs should be on leashes or in a fenced yard.
Chris B-1773145
It just seems like almost every day there's a new life experience that apparently causes PTSD. I believe that in most cases of a simple dog bite, any PTSD would be far more likely caused by the reaction of the adult(s) present at the time. Monkey see, monkey do.
What percentage of children in China suffer from PTSD just from living in China?
I was fifteen; playing football with my friends in a park when i was unexpectedly attacked by a doberman pincher that wanted the ball i was holding; he latched on to the right side of my face knocking me to the ground and was trying to play tug of war as if my face was a piece of rope; i fought back by punching him in the face which caused him to let go; i grabbed my face and ran home barely one hundred yards away; as i ran up my driveway i noticed the dog was right behind me however i made it to my door; as i went into my bathroom i expected to have a few teeth holes; i was not ready for half of my face to fall off. i didn't feel pain; i remember yelling "why me" and feeling very angry; i grabbed a baseball bat and went out side to confront my attacker!! i found him in the street in front of my house running back and forth; with one hand on my face and the other welding a bat i ended the life of ( i later found out) an abused animal!!! I have PTSD on many different levels; i looked for help however the question "how does that make you feel?" just didn't work!! i have a scar on my face at fifteen!! kids are cruel!! i fought my way out of high school!! i think people are always looking at me; even if they aren't; and girls!! up hill battle. yes; nightmares. I am now 43; i have taught my three girls well however i am still very protective!!
Anyhow i might be an extreme example and i tell you this just so you know i understand a child that may have PTSD; there may be a therapist that can help a person get over a dog bite and although it didn't help me i would still have to recommend seeking out someone to talk to. I am going to have to disagree and agree with Meezermom. the parents may be the problem to the owner of the dog!! and will add to the hysteria; but believe me the child will have much bigger and important issues to deal with. The biggest problem is the way people treat their animals; some people should not own pets!!! i for one believe it's not the animal, it's the owner. i also believe it is the obligation of the parents to teach their children to use caution around unfamiliar animals; Please..... before it's too late.
I agree with Adam Meyer's comment and I had similar experience. My neighbors pet dog, bit me one day on my calf and my parents or anyone knew about this until the next day I told them why I was afraid of the same dog that I used to play with every day. I didn't even know that Dog's can be harmful or need to seek treatment of any kind if they bit you. I was only 8 years old them. Since that day I can't get close to a dog, however, I encourage my kids to pet the dogs when they see them on the street with owner's permission.. I always treatment them with kind, but I can never get myself close to a dog or pet a dog. I think it is true that kids or even grown up go through stress following such an attack and it is not because of over reaction of parents or anyone else.
I was bit as a kid, and while ptsd is an exaggeration, I have been afraid of unrestrained dogs all of my life. It hurt to get bit. And I didn't do anything to the dog, I was just walking by, and he just jumped out and bit me, so no haters telling me I deserved it.
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has developed 2 web sites to assist parents, doctors, and nurses as they help children cope with reactions to injury. The site for parents is www.AfterTheInjury.org, and the site for health care providers is www.HealthCareToolbox.org.