Category: Education

Children exposed to disasters and/or trauma might respond in various emotional and psychological ways. Displacement from the child’s home, community/neighborhood and even worse delayed reunification with parents can add to the child’s stress. During this time parents and other supporting adults are very important as they are most familiar with the child and can respond to the child’s reaction(s). For pre-adolescents and adolescents, peer support and peer engagement also becomes an important support system.

Read the FACT SHEET (PDF 123KB)

[ Source: American Counseling Association ]

Young children, toddlers, and preschoolers — even babies — know when bad things happen, and they remember what they have been through. After a scary event, we often see changes in their behavior. They may cry more, become clingy and not want us to leave, have temper tantrums, hit others, have problems sleeping, become afraid of things that didn’t bother them before, lose skills… Changes like these are a sign that they need help. Here are some ways you can help them.

Read more:
after_the_hurricane_helping_young_children_heal (PDF 59KB)

[Source: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network]

While the media (television, radio, print and the internet) can help inform and educate you and your children about hurricanes, media coverage unfortunately also has the potential to upset and confuse. As parents, you can protect your children by helping them understand media coverage while limiting their exposure to distressing images.

Read more: tips_parents_media_coverage_hurricane (PDF 103KB)

[Source: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network]