What is RAD?
When Trauma Begins Early
When trauma happens during the earliest years of life—before a child has language, before they understand safety, before trust has had a chance to form—it can shape how their brain and body respond to the world. This early disruption in attachment and security is often diagnosed as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) or described more broadly as developmental trauma.
Many of these children have experienced foster care, institutional care, international adoption, or time in orphanages where early caregiving was disrupted or inconsistent. Others may have faced medical trauma or early neglect. But developmental trauma is not limited to any one system or type of family. It can touch children adopted domestically or internationally, as well as those in biological and blended families. And when it does, it can shape how a child experiences connection, regulation, and safety.
Children living with developmental trauma often remain in a constant state of survival. Even in loving, stable homes, their nervous systems may stay wired for fight, flight, or control. The behaviors that follow can be intense, confusing, and at times unsafe—often directed toward the very people trying hardest to love and protect them.
For parents and caregivers, this journey can be both deeply meaningful and profoundly isolating. Traditional parenting strategies rarely work. Support can be difficult to find. Families may feel alone, misunderstood, or unsure where to turn for help that truly fits the realities of their daily lives.
At Salvo, we believe these families deserve to be seen, supported, and surrounded by community. We understand that raising a child with developmental trauma requires extraordinary perseverance, compassion, and resources. Our mission is to walk alongside families in these complex seasons—connecting them to practical support, trusted partners, and a community that understands.
No family should have to navigate this path alone.
