|
|
|
|
|
| Home
> Disaster Preparedness
> Helping Children
> Children's Reactions |
|
 |
| |
|
Children's
Reactions |
|
|
Children's
fear and anxiety are very real, even though to
adults they may seem exaggerated. Children are
afraid of what is strange. They fear being left
alone. Following a disaster, they may begin acting
younger than the age they are. Behaviors that
were common at an earlier age, such as bedwetting,
thumb sucking, clinging to parents or fear of
strangers, may reappear. Older children who have
shown some independence may want to spend more
time with their families. Bedtime problems may
appear. A child may begin to have nightmares;
not want to sleep alone; and/or become afraid
of the dark, falling asleep or remaining asleep.
Some children will show their fear by developing physical symptoms, such as stomachaches,
headaches or feeling "sick." All children can experience thinking difficulties.
They can become easily distracted, feel confused and disoriented and find it
hard to concentrate. These reactions can be triggered by smells, objects or activities
associated with the trauma. A child may be unaware of the triggers and of any
of the behavioral changes that occur. They are not intentionally showing they
are anxious or fearful.
Children of different ages react in different ways to trauma. |
|
|
| Birth
to Two Years |
Without
the ability to speak, children cannot describe
the event or their feelings. They can retain memories
of particular sights, sounds, or smells. When
they are older, these memories may emerge in their
play. Babies may be more irritable, cry more often
and need to be held and cuddled frequently. They
will respond to the caring that is given to them
by an adult.
.
BACK
TO TOP
|
|
|
| Preschool
and Kindergarten |
In
the face of an overwhelming event, very young
children can feel helpless, powerless, and unable
to protect themselves. When the safety of their
world is threatened, they feel insecure and fearful.
Children this age cannot understand the concept
of permanent loss. They believe that consequences
are reversible. They will repeatedly recreate
parts of the disaster in their play. These are
all normal reactions. Abandonment is a major childhood
fear, so children need frequent reassurance they
will be cared for and will not be left behind.
Activities for Home or School
Play acting, physical contact, puppets, art, stories,
large muscle movement (throwing balls, etc.).
. BACK
TO TOP
|
|
|
| School
Age (Seven to 11 Years) |
.Children
at this age have the ability to understand the
permanence of loss from a trauma. They can become
preoccupied with details of it and want to talk
about it continually. They may not be able to
concentrate in school and their grades drop. Since
their thinking is more mature, their understanding
of the disaster is more complete. This can result
in a wide range of reactions: guilt, feelings
of failure, and anger.
School age children can also slip back into earlier
behaviors. As in younger children, sleep problems
can appear. Their anxiety and fear may be seen
in an increased number of physical complaints.
Activities for
Home or School
Play acting, puppets, drawing and painting, sharing
their experiences in groups, reading, creative
writing or discussion.
. BACK
TO TOP
|
|
|
| Pre-adolescence
and Adolescence (12 to 18 Years) |
In
this age group, children have a great need to
appear knowledgeable and experienced to the world,
especially to their family and friends. When they
live through a traumatic event they need to feel
their anxieties and fears are shared by their
peers and are appropriate. Because they survived
the trauma, they may feel immortal. This can lead
to reckless behavior and taking dangerous risks.
Their reactions are a mixture of earlier age group
reactions and reactions that are more adult. Teenage
years are a period of moving outward into the
world. However, experiencing a trauma can create
a feeling that the world is unsafe. Even teenagers
may return to earlier ways of behaving. Overwhelmed
by intense reactions, teens may be unable to discuss
them with their family members.
Activities at
School
General classroom activities, literature or reading,
peer helpers, health class, art class, speech/drama,
social studies/government, history.
.
BACK
TO TOP
|
|
|
|
Be
Responsible - Be Ready - Be Prepared!
Your Emergency Preparedness Team
Kings County Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management
280 Campus Drive Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-3211, Ext. 2634
www.kingscountyoem.com |
|
|
|
|
|
