Children who witness serious violence, like the recent Copley Township shootings, now have the ability to get help and treatment.

Manager of Children Who Witness Violence program at the Akron Children's Hospital Melissa Peace says studies shows that if children do not get treatment, it may cause harmful effects in the future.

"Children who have significant traumas in their childhood, will develop severe medical and mental health problems later in life and can even shave off 10 years of their life if they aren't help," says Peace.

Peace says that the most important thing a parent can do is to talk to their children.

"It used to be, we thought, 'Oh, the kids will be fine. They'll bounce back. Were not going to talk about it.' And actually, not talking about it, can be one of the worst things you can do, so it's very important for parents to open those lines of communication," says Peace.

Peace explains that nightmares, upset stomachs, headaches and children who drop out of activities are signs that they may need help with a traumatic experience.

Children can receive treatment from the new program, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, offered at Akron Children's Hospital. The program focuses on the child's specific trauma related experience in order to have a faster treatment time.