Medical Trauma in Children: Why Supporting Parents Matters

When a child experiences medical trauma, parents are often overlooked—but their role is powerful.In this episode of the Medical Trauma Support Podcast, I’m joined by neuropsychologist and founder of Parenting Kids with CHD, Dawn Ilardi, who has spent over 16 years working in pediatric healthcare. Together, we explore how parents’ nervous systems, emotional responses, and sense of agency directly shape a child’s medical experience.We talk about:Why parents are often “the missing patient” in pediatric careHow parental stress, anxiety, and trauma affect children’s outcomesThe power of co-regulation, presence, and advocacyWhy dissociation can be protective—and how healing happens gentlyHow asking for “the pause” can change everythingThis conversation is for parents navigating medical systems, clinicians wanting to understand family dynamics, and anyone impacted by medical trauma .Learn more about Dawn's work, Parenting Kids with CHD, https://parentingchd.podia.com/Learn more about the Befriend Your Body Community, where you can access peer support, nervous system education and a Foundation Course: https://your-bc-befriend.mn.co/landing#MedicalTrauma#MedicalTraumaSupport#ChildhoodMedicalTrauma#TraumaInformedCare#NervousSystemHealing