[Early preventive intervention of post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents at the hospital].

International studies have shown that a significant number of children and adolescents are exposed to potentially traumatic events. Many of these children and adolescents, some of whom will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are submitted to health-care departments shortly after exposure. In this article the concept of trauma-informed health care is introduced in a Danish context. The most recent empirical literature on early preventive interventions is reviewed, and principles for best practice and recommendations for future policy and research are presented.