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Syrian children suffering 'toxic stress'

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Tue, 7 Mar 2017, 12:03PM
A boy looks out from a window of his home in the border town of Jarablus, Syria. (Getty)
A boy looks out from a window of his home in the border town of Jarablus, Syria. (Getty)

Syrian children suffering 'toxic stress'

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Tue, 7 Mar 2017, 12:03PM

A new report says Syrian children are showing symptoms of "toxic stress" from war exposure and attempting self-harm and suicide.

The report from Save the Children comes on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the Syrian war and calls on all sides to prioritise mental health issues before children develop lasting complications they will carry into adulthood.

Researchers spoke with 450 children, adolescents and adults across Syria.

Adults said the cause of psychological stress is the constant shelling and bombardment that characterise the war.

They said children do not feel safe at school and are developing speech disorders and incontinence. Some are losing the capacity to speak. Schools have been targeted frequently in the conflict.

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