Helping Children After a Disaster

             Children who experience an initial traumatic event before they are 11 years old are three times more likely to develop psychological symptoms than those who experience their first trauma as a teenager or later. Children are able to cope better with a traumatic event if parents and other adults support and help them with their experiences. Some children may never show distress, while others may not give evidence of being upset for several weeks or even months. Other children may not show a change in behavior, but still need your help. Help should start as soon as possible after the event.

             Children may exhibit the following behaviors:

·         Be upset over the loss of a favorite toy or blanket that is important to them.

·         Change from being quiet, obedient and caring, to loud, noisy, and aggressive, or may change from outgoing to shy and afraid.

·         Develop nighttime fears (nightmares, fear of the dark or sleeping alone).

·         Be afraid the event will reoccur.

·         Become easily upset, crying and whining.

·         Lose trust in adults. After all, their adults were not able to control the disaster.

·         Revert to younger behavior (bet wetting, thumb sucking).

·         Not want parents out of their sight. Refuse to go to school or daycare.

·         Feel guilty they caused the disaster because of something they said or did.

·         Become afraid of wind, rain or sudden loud noises.

·         Have symptoms of illness such as headaches, vomiting or fever.

·         Worry about where they and their family will live.

Things Parents can do to help their children:

·         Talk with your children about how they are feeling. Assure them it’s OK to have those feelings.

·         Help children learn to use words to express their feelings, such as “happy,” “sad,” “angry.”

·         Tell children it is OK to cry.

·         Don’t give children more information than they can handle.

·         Repeatedly tell your children that you will be there to care for them.

·         Go back to routines as soon as possible.

·         Reassure children the disaster was not their fault.

·         Let children have some control, such as choosing clothing to wear or what to have for dinner.

·         Re-establish contact with extended family.

·         Help children to trust adults by keeping promises you make.

·         Help your children regain faith in the future by helping them make plans.

·         Get needed health care as soon as possible.

·         Spend extra time with children at bedtime.

·         Make sure children eat healthy and get enough rest.

·         Allow special privileges for a short period of time, such as leaving a light on when they go to bed.

·         Find ways to emphasize to the children that you love them.

·         Allow children time to grieve losses.

·         Develop positive anniversary activities to commemorate the event. These may bring tears, but they should also celebrate survival and getting back to a normal life.