Helping Adolescents After a Disaster
- A disaster is frightening to all children and parents alike. It is important to emphasize your ability to cope with the situation but not to try and falsely reassure your child.
- Children and adults have both immediate and long-term responses to disaster. A child can reveal responses to a disaster even a year or two years later, sometimes even longer.
- A child’s age affects how they will respond to a disaster. For example; preschool children are more likely to show clingy behavior including difficulty separating from parents; school age children might develop problems at school; and adolescents problems with risk-taking. Physical problems (headaches, etc.) sleep disturbance and irritability are common reactions of all age groups.
- Children who have had difficulty before the disaster may develop the same problems again.
- A parent’s response and mood is important. An open attitude allows your child to express their fears.
- In discussing the disaster with your child, it is important to find out what they already know about it. Answering their questions is a good place to begin.
- Many children and adults have misconceptions about a disaster. Some of them are specific to a level of development. Talk to other parents with children the age of yours. Find out what they are doing and saying.
- Children may believe that something they did “caused” the disaster. It is important to discuss this misconception.
- Try to spend more time with your children after a disaster. It help everyone (parents, too) to cope with it.
- Hook in to post-disaster programs given by schools, churches and other organizations. Much is being learned about this important area.