Syrian children suffer ‘toxic stress’ from war: Aid group

DAMASCUS, Syria (Kurdistan24) – An international children’s aid group on Monday released a report stating young victims of the Syrian civil war had been “damaged” as a result of their experiences.

In their annual report, Save the Children outlined the impact Syria’s six-year-long war has had on children.

“Six years of war in Syria has caused deep psychological scars among many Syrian children,” the report read.

After interviewing nearly 450 children and young adults in Syria, the report indicated “a growing mental health crisis among children trapped inside Syria.”

Moreover, the aid group explained Syrian children were victims of “toxic stress” due to the ongoing war in the country.

“Ongoing shelling, air strikes, and violence mean [Syrian] children are living in a constant state of fear, which can create a condition known as ‘toxic stress,’” the report continued.

Save the Children added the toxic stress could “have a life-long impact on children’s mental and physical health” if left untreated.

“The children we spoke with in Syria are terrified to play outside, afraid to go to school, and soil themselves when they hear a loud noise,” the organization’s President Carolyn Miles stated.

“This is a result of six years of war, and is a tragedy that can’t be allowed to continue,” she added.

Miles explained that “stopping [the] bombardment of civilian areas and [providing] everyone with lifesaving aid and psychological support” could end the children’s suffering.

Founded in 1932, Save the Children continues to offer programs providing relief and care to children caught in the middle of war.

Editing by Ava Homa