Traumatic Stress Management for Parents

The magnitude of death and destruction in an event require special attention to communicating with children and adolescents. Physical safety and security takes priority.

It is difficult to predict the kinds of psychological problems that children and adolescents will have, however, the following management plan may help minimize later difficulties:

• Your response to the disaster will affect your child’s response, therefore, it is helpful to discuss your own reactions with another adult before talking with your children.

• Discuss the event in an open honest manner with your children. Children might want to talk intermittently, and younger children might need concrete information to be repeated.

• Be available for your child.

• Limit the times of exposure to television or other sources on information about the disaster and its victims.

• Engage your child in conversation of their choosing-not necessarily about their feelings or the scene. Talking about the normal events of life is central to health.

• Maintain daily routines to the extent possible. For children school is an important part of feeling safe and normal.
  
• Increase your child’s sense of control and mastery within the household-let him or her plan dinner or the evening’s activities.

• Every child has a different way of responding to trauma. It is not advisable to require the same response of everyone. Listen to your child’s stories.

• Now is not the time to introduce new routines. Familiar schedules and bedtime stories can be reassuring.

• Reassure your children that the disaster was not their fault in any way.

• Older children and adolescents may feel “stirred up”. Helping them understand their behavior and setting limits can help.

• Some children may respond with a return to old behaviors, such as a loss of toilet training, or inability to fall asleep alone. These should be tolerated and understood.

• Help your child modulate the extent to which they personalize or identify with the victims or the situation. Remind your children that they are safe and with you.

• Provide concrete information to your child about how she/he differs from the people in the accident to decrease over-identifying with the victims.

Disaster Response Education and Training Project, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.

For more information see http://www.cstsonline.org/our-work/disaster-mental-health/