The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: Trauma and Child Development

Being Human vs. Being Humane

The differences between being human and being humane are rooted in the full range of human capacity. Humans have the ability to act both rightly and wrongly, for good and for ill. Being humane, by contrast, means acting in a positive, healthy, and helpful manner toward others—it is the opposite of being inhumane. Being human encapsulates everything that humanity has to offer, including both faults and virtues, while being humane is much narrower in definition, capturing only those positive qualities of our nature.

From personal experience, one can look at a parents' relationship and describe it as very human: they fight, they make up, and they fight again. Yet there are moments when they are very humane toward others—understanding, positive, and supportive—even if this is not always how they approach one another. This distinction between the human and the humane sets an important frame for thinking about Perry and Szalavitz's exploration of childhood trauma and what it demands of the adults around suffering children.

The Central Argument: Trauma, Abuse, and Child Development

The authors' central idea is that trauma and abuse harm children mentally, and that traumatized children need help from nurturing adults in order to have normal, healthy lives as they grow up. Perry and Szalavitz (2006) return to this main idea as they examine the various cases throughout the book. With Tina, they show that abuse profoundly affects a child's brain. With Sandy, they demonstrate that children are not robots to be programmed but are little human beings who should be allowed some independence and the ability to make decisions on their own, so that they can engage meaningfully with the maturation process.

With Justin, they show that trauma does not have to define a child's future—that through help, children can overcome their circumstances and develop healthy lifestyles. With Laura, they illustrate how simple acts of love and compassion can have a measurable positive effect on the body. Together, these cases build a compelling argument for the power of adult intervention in reversing the effects of adverse childhood experiences.

Perry's Therapeutic Techniques

The coloring activity Perry employs helps him bond with the children he works with. It disarms them of their suspicions—as in the case of Sandy, who is initially wary of the doctor. As Perry continues to color, Sandy gradually wants to join in. Once disarmed, Perry can begin to probe, and he monitors her coloring as a gauge of how close she is being pushed to "painful memories" (Perry, 2006, p. 44). His techniques include coloring in silence, inviting children to color with him, watching them color, and coloring alongside them.

Perry does the same with Tina, an activity he genuinely enjoys because it helps break the ice between them (Perry, 2006, p. 12). These methods reflect a broader clinical philosophy: meeting children where they are, reducing threat, and building trust before attempting any deeper therapeutic work.

References

Perry, B. D., & Szalavitz, M. (2006). The boy who was raised as a dog: And other stories from a child psychiatrist's notebook – What traumatized children can teach us about loss, love, and healing. New York, NY: Basic Books.