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Natural disasters such as tornados, or man-made tragedies
such as the Oklahoma City bombing or the disasters at the
Pentagon and the World Trade Center, can leave children
feeling frightened, confused, and insecure.
Whether a child has personally experienced trauma or has
merely seen the event on television or heard it discussed by
adults, it is important for parents and teachers to be
informed and ready to help if reactions to stress begin to
occur.
Children respond to trauma in many different ways. Some
may have reactions very soon after the event; others may
seem to be doing fine for weeks or months, then begin to
show worrisome behavior. Knowing the signs that are common
at different ages can help parents and teachers to recognize
problems and respond appropriately.
Preschool Age
Children from one to five years in age find it
particularly hard to adjust to change and loss. In addition,
these youngsters have not yet developed their own coping
skills, so they must depend on parents, family members, and
teachers to help them through difficult times.
Very young children may regress to an earlier behavioral
stage after a traumatic event. For example, a preschooler
may resume thumbsucking or bedwetting or may become afraid
of strangers, animals, darkness, or "monsters." He may cling
to a parent or teacher or become very attached to a place in
which he feels safe.
Changes in eating and sleeping habits are common, as are
unexplainable aches and pains. Other symptoms to watch for
are disobedience, hyperactivity, speech difficulties, and
aggressive or withdrawn behavior. Preschoolers may tell
exaggerated stories about the traumatic event or may speak
of it over and over.
Early Childhood
Children aged five to eleven may have some of the same
reactions as younger boys and girls. In addition, they may
withdraw from play groups and friends, compete more for the
attention of parents, fear going to school, allow school
performance to drop, become aggressive, or find it hard to
concentrate. These children may also return to "more
childish" behaviors; for example, they may ask to be fed or
dressed.
Adolescence
Children twelve to fourteen are likely to have vague
physical complaints when under stress and to abandon chores,
school work, and other responsibilities they previously
handled. While on the one hand they may compete vigorously
for attention from parents and teachers, they may also
withdraw, resist authority, become disruptive at home or in
the classroom, or even begin to experiment with high-risk
behaviors such as drinking or drug abuse. These young people
are at a developmental stage in which the opinions of peers
are very important. They need to be thought "normal" by
their friends and are less concerned about relating well
with adults or participating in recreation or family
activities they once enjoyed.
In later adolescence, teens may experience feelings of
helplessness and guilt because they are unable to assume
full adult responsibilities as the community responds to the
disaster. Older teens may also deny the extent of their
emotional reactions to the traumatic event.
How To Help
Reassurance is the key to helping children through a
traumatic time. Very young children need a lot of cuddling,
as well as verbal support. Answer questions about the
disaster honestly, but don't dwell on frightening details or
allow the subject to dominate family or classroom time
indefinitely. Encourage children of all ages to express
emotions through conversation, drawing, or painting and to
find a way to help others who were affected by the
disaster.
Try to maintain a normal household or classroom routine
and encourage children to participate in recreational
activity. Reduce your expectations temporarily about
performance at school or at home, perhaps by substituting
less demanding responsibilities for usual chores.
Finally, acknowledge that you, too, may have reactions
associated with the traumatic event, and take steps to
promote your own physical and emotional healing.
Posted September 2001
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