Children often experience injuries and trauma sustained through playtime or, sadly, as the result of abuse. Kids can heal from injuries much quicker than adults. However, some injuries end up staying with those children when they reach adulthood.
You’re probably reading this blog post today because you’ve sustained injuries during your childhood years and, despite your body’s ability to heal quickly at such a young age, you haven’t fully recovered from those injuries.
Plus, you’d like to do something about those injuries, especially if there is visible scarring or you get aches and pains from the trauma sites. The following explains what you can do about dealing with childhood trauma as an adult.
Have a Medical Examination
As you can appreciate, the injuries you received as a youngster happened a long time ago. You’re an adult now, and so your body shape will undeniably be different. That’s why it makes sense to have a thorough medical examination of the injury sites.
If you’ve had those areas looked at when you were a child, but nothing got done about them, it’s also worth talking to a medical malpractice lawyer. That’s because your doctor at the time could have been negligent in their assessment of you at the time.
You should also describe to your physician whether you’re experiencing any aches or pains and if your childhood injuries hamper certain activities you carry out as an adult. For instance, a leg injury might mean you find it hard to walk or run long distances.
Review Your Treatment Options
Once you’ve had a medical assessment, your doctor will discuss your treatment options. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you might need to have surgery to correct specific issues or realign bones, for example.
There might be some treatment options that don’t involve surgery that you can pursue. Examples include hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and a balanced diet coupled with a structured exercise regimen.
Your doctor may also prescribe medication that you’ll need to take post-surgery or for long-term use to help you reverse the effects of your childhood trauma.
When it comes to medication, keep in mind that you’ll often find alternatives to prescription medicine. For example, you could look at herbal treatments if you feel the potential side effects of prescription medicine far outweigh the perceived benefits.
Agree on a Treatment Plan
Finally, you should agree on a treatment plan with your healthcare provider that best fits in with your lifestyle. The last thing you want to do is pursue a treatment that could mean you are out of work for a long time recovering from surgery or other medical procedures.
You should, of course, discuss your treatment plan with your spouse or partner, as any remedial procedures you have done will likely impact them as well. Once you’ve worked on a suitable treatment plan, you can go ahead and have the medical procedures done.
Note that you should fully understand your treatment options and consider a second medical opinion, if necessary. Also, keep in mind that you should have realistic expectations of the outcomes of any potential treatment you have.
On a positive note, any treatment you agree to have will help you rebuild your confidence and lead a happier life.