Or they may not happen for 6 months or longer. The symptoms of PTSD may start soon after a stressful event. He or she finds the event terrifying, either physically or emotionally. A child with PTSD keeps having scary thoughts and memories of a past event. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children?