Helping Children Cope With Aftermath Of Hurricane Ivan
Release Date: October 12, 2004
Release Number: 1549-045
» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Ivan
MOBILE, Ala. -- The immediate danger from Hurricane Ivan is past, but a child may still be showing signs of shock and trauma. It is important for parents and other caregivers to be aware of what these signs are and to know what to do—and what not to do—about them.
Signs that a child is troubled include: fear of being left alone, wanting to sleep in parents’ room or bed, wanting to keep a light on all night, bed wetting, thumb-sucking, nightmares, fear of the dark, not wanting to go to school or making trouble in class.
Here are some tips for dealing with a child’s fears:
- Encourage children to talk about what’s troubling them; take their concerns seriously. If they can’t talk about their feelings, encourage them to draw pictures or make up stories or poems to express how they are feeling.
- Let them know you want to help. Be a patient listener—no matter how tough it may be.
- Reassure children; never ridicule their fears.
- Make children feel they are a part of the effort to return things to normal. Include them in conversations about what needs to be done. Enlist their help in tasks that are do-able for them. Don’t ask them to take on more than they are able to accomplish successfully.
- If a child continues to resist sleeping alone or going to school weeks after the storm is over, be loving, but firm. Negotiate an agreement with them, such as saying, “Go back to sleeping in your own room beginning tomorrow, and we’ll get pizza this weekend.” Hold the child to the agreement.
- Communication, reassurance and patience are much more likely to work than punishment and anger.
- Most important of all, make time to give each child your undivided attention, if only for five or ten minutes each day. Take a walk together or just sit and talk.
If all the support you can muster does not seem to help, you may need the assistance of a professional counselor. Mental health experts are available to provide such help—a normal part of disaster recovery. For assistance or information, ask for Acquanetta Knight at 800-832-0952 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 12-Oct-2004 19:27:49