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DSM-IV
for children to report diminished interest in significant activities and constriction of affect, these symptoms should be carefully evaluated with reports from parents, teachers, and other observers. In children, the sense of a foreshortened future may be evidenced by the belief that life will be too short to include becoming an adult. There may also be łomen formation"-that is, belief in an ability to foresee future untoward events. Children may also exhibit various physical symptoms, such as stomachaches and headaches.

Prevalence

Community-based studies reveal a lifetime prevalence for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ranging from 1% to 14%, with the variability related to methods of ascertainment and the population sampled. Studies of at-risk individuals (e.g., combat veterans, victims of volcanic-eruptions or criminal violence) have yielded prevalence rates ranging from 3% to 58%.

Course

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can occur at any age, including childhood. Symptoms usually begin within the first 3 months after the trauma, although there may be a delay of months, or even years, before symptoms appear. Frequently, the disturbance initially meets criteria for Acute Stress Disorder (see p. 429) in the immediate aftermath of the trauma. The symptoms of the disorder and the relative predominance of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms may vary over time. Duration of the symptoms varies, with complete recovery occurring within 3 months in approximately half of cases, with many others having per 		Glossary












Prevalence: i.e., how often does PTSD occur in the (police) population.
Due to the high-risk nature of the job, police officer's may consider themselves at the high end of the 3% to 58% range.




Course: i.e., how long do symptoms last.
What the DSM-IV is saying, here, is that you have approximately a 50-50 chance of "complete recovery occurring within 3 months."
As previously mentioned, " a delay of months, or even years, before symptoms appear," can be a very serious problem that should not be minimized. 		Additional commentary












Prevalence: Do not count on 'professionalism' to protect you from symptoms. Like a 'professional' toxic waist worker, the problem isn't IF you'll get splashed, but WHEN!
Also, the more you're exposed to traumatic events, the more likely it is that PTSD symptoms will develop. Additionally, specializations, i.e., homicide, narcotics, traffic, etc. are more likely to develop symptoms.
Course
Most indications are that Critical Incident Debriefing is the key to recovery.
The sooner you are debriefed following a traumatic event and the better the debrief, the better the chances are that symptoms will be minimal. And the symptoms you do experience will be resolved more quickly.


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