Uncertainty in Life Events & the Impact on Children from Age 4 to 7

Divorce, separation, death and even life threatening illness can have an adverse impact on a child. For many children, the uncertainty associated with these life effects can have long term impact on not only emotional health but also upon physical health.

Uncertainty, through the eyes of a child, can be limited. Based on a very short period of life events, children can develop conclusions and theories about events in their lives which, often, turns into feelings of uncertainty. Often, because of limited information, uncertainty can be widely felt and often greater than that felt by adults.

If your family is experiencing a major life event, such as divorce, separation, or even a death in the family, it is important to address the uncertainty that may be felt by your child and manage that uncertainty effectively. Between the ages of five and eight, most children begin to understand the concept of choices and alternative circumstances. It is at this age, then, that many children begin to develop physical and emotional complications in response to feelings of uncertainty.

By the age of eight, your child is not only familiar with the depth of circumstances and uncertainty, but it is at this age that your child may begin to learn the understanding of body language and how ambiguous messages can be received and sent, both verbally and in non-verbal cues. In other words, by the age of eight, many children can begin to "read between the lines" which only further fosters uncertainty.

If your family is experiencing a traumatic life event, and your children range in age from infancy through middle school, it is important to understand the varying degrees to which each child may cope with the change in their life. It is at this time of their lives that child therapy can assist in the age-specific emotional and physical complications that may manifest during this period. Without proper therapy and early intervention, your child may begin to make predications and, ultimately, this may serve to manifest and complicate the health of not only themselves but upon the entire family.