Disasters
affect people in many ways. Children can be especially
susceptible to traumatic experiences. The responses expected
of adults can also be found in children, but there are
some additional symptoms that may appear. The emotional
effects of loss and disruption may show up immediately
or may appear many months later.
It is very important to understand that there is a natural
grieving process following any loss, and that a disaster
of any size will cause unusual and unwanted stress in
those attempting to reconstruct their lives.
Some
of the trauma related problems found in children include
the following:
*
Problems at school and inability to concentrate
*
Clinging to parents
*
Reluctance to go to bed
*
Nightmares
*
Fantasies that the disaster never happened
*
Crying and screaming
*
Withdrawal and immobility
*
Refusal to attend school
*
Return to earlier behavior, such as thumb sucking
or bed wetting
Are
you looking for information about Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)?
Children
may need different kinds of assistance to recover from traumatic
experiences. As with adults, therapy is a very effective tool,
but there are some things you can do to help a child resume a
normal life.
*
Talk with your child about his or her feelings and your feelings.
You will find that many of your feelings are shared, regardless
of your child's age. Encourage your child to draw pictures
of the disaster. This will help you understand how he or she
views what happened.
*
Talk with your child about what happened, providing factual
information that she or he can understand.
*
Reassure your child that you and he or she are safe. Repeat
this assurance as often as necessary.
*
Review safety procedures that are now in place, including
the role your child can take.
*
Hold your child. Touching provides extra reassurance that
someone is there for her or him.
*
Spend extra time with your child, especially at bedtime.
*
Relax rules, but maintain family structure and responsibility.
*
Praise and recognize responsible behavior.
*
Work closely with teachers, day-care personnel, baby-sitters
and others who may not understand how the disaster has affected
your child.
Visit
some of our links for more information on PTSD or links to PTSD
support groups.
For additional
information about PTSD, navigate to the APA
HelpCenter.
Therapy
is always a well considered option for trauma participants or observers.
Recovering
from a trauma is often complicated and difficult and many professionals
recommend at least one therapy session. Most therapists have training
in trauma therapy and many specialize in treating PTSD and other trauma-related
responses.
Need
help finding a trauma or child therapist in your area?
If you live near Halifax, NS, you may
wish to consult with one of our therapists. Visit our Therapy
Page for more information.
If you live outside the Halifax area,
we provide extensive information on therapy and therapists in North
America on our Find a Therapist Page.
