Children may be especially upset and exhibit exaggerated emotions following an emergency.
Listed below are some problems you may see in your children:
- Excessive fear of darkness, separation, or being along
- Clinging to parents, fear of strangers
- Worry or anxiety
- Increase in immature behaviors
- Not wanting to go to school
- Changes in eating/sleeping behaviors
- Bed wetting or thumb-sucking
- Persistent nightmares
Some things that will help your child are:
- Talk with your child about his/her feelings about the disaster. Share your feelings too.
- Talk about what happened, give your child information he/she can understand.
- Reassure your child that you are safe and together. You may need to repeat this reassurance often.
- Hold and touch your child often.
- Spend extra time with your child at bedtime.
- Allow your child to mourn or grieve over the lost toy, a lost blanket, or a lost home.
- If you feel your child is having problems at school, talk to his/her teacher so you can work together to help your child.
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