What is your approach to assessing traumatic exposure in children?

• Ask explicitly with a child, adolescent, or adult: “Have you ever been hurt or abused by adults or other people, physically or sexually?” (Be prepared to elaborate).
• What we are getting at to some degree here is PTSD-like events. Sadly, people frequently experience death, tornadoes, car accidents, ...

I think this is a great question and may often be overlooked in an initial assessment. I prefer a systematic approach with all patients as not everyone recognizes what trauma is. I ask the following questions:

• Were your parents together when you were a child?
• Who raised you?
• If they're separated, ...