The Global Story How does war affect a child’s brain?
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Mar 17, 2026 
Fergal Keane, veteran BBC war correspondent known for reflective reporting on trauma and PTSD, shares frontline memories and personal struggles. He discusses witnessing genocides, ethical ways of interviewing children in conflict, recognizing his own PTSD, recovery steps like therapy and love, and the global scale of children living amid war.
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War Repeats The Same Childhood Traumas
- Wars repeatedly recreate childhood trauma Fergal Keane witnessed in Gaza, Rwanda and elsewhere, showing patterns of fear, food shortages, and destroyed healthcare repeating across conflicts.
- He links daily survival fear — wondering if you'll wake the next day — to long-term damage when combined with sustained civilian fighting.
Never Interview A Child Without Mental Health Support
- Do not re-traumatise children when reporting or interviewing them; get consent from guardians and involve mental health practitioners beforehand.
- After interviews, ensure a counselor or caregiver is present to comfort and support the child immediately.
Valentina Survived Among Corpses In Rwanda
- Fergal Keane told Valentina's story from the Rwandan genocide: a 13-year-old who lay among corpses for days with a mangled hand and head wound but later survived.
- Keane visited her during the genocide, returned years later, found her in school, then later emigrated to the US and had children.