This guide provides an overview of acute stress disorder in children, a less severe and briefer condition than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Like PTSD, acute stress disorder may be triggered by a natural or human-caused disaster.

This video features Dr. Paramjit Joshi, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, who offers guidance for teachers and counselors in supporting children in processing and coping after a school shooting or other traumatic event.