Helping Children Cope with Terrorism

In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington and the related plane crash in Pennsylvania, parents may be wondering how to deal with their children's questions and fears. Psychiatrists offer these tips.

How to help our kids
According to the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and the Pennsylvania Medical Society, there are some specific measures that parents can take to minimize the disaster's traumatic effects. Experts offer the following advice to parents:

• Be available to your children. Discussion is critical.

• Talk with your children about their own fears; ask them what they fear most. Let them give full expression to their feelings, naming their different fears. If a child is too young to talk, play with the child. Even very young children respond to the emotions of those around them. Be honest about what happened, and about your own feelings, but remain calm in your own response.

• Above all, reassure them of your love and protection. Tell them that you will always do everything you can to protect them and your family.

• The biggest fear that many children have is the fear of being separated from their parents, or that harm will come to a parent. Reassure them that you will take care of yourself.

• Tell them that professionals - doctors, our government officials, the police - are helping to protect them from danger.

• Limit exposure to news coverage - television, radio, and newspaper accounts. Continual exposure may fuel fears.

• Get back quickly to family routines. A child's sense of security is greatly enhanced by routine.

• Talk about ways that you and your family can help. Finding a way to be active in response to a threat is often therapeutic, and helps make a child feel useful.

Traumatic events have both short and long-term effects. Parents should watch for these changes in a child's behavior:

• Clinging behavior - refusal to return to school, shadowing the mother or father around the house.

• Persistent fears related to the hijackings, explosions, and fires (such as fear of being permanently separated from parents)

• Sleep disturbances that persist for more than several days, such as nightmares, screaming during sleep, and bedwetting.

• Loss of concentration or irritability.

• Tendency to startle easily; "jumpiness."

• Behavior problems that are atypical for the child.

• Physical complaints (headache, stomachache, dizziness) for which a physical cause can't be found.

• Withdrawal from friends and family, including listlessness, sadness, decreased interest in usual activities, and preoccupation with the disaster.

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If a child or adolescent exhibits any of these symptoms on a persistent basis, parents should consult with their physician, a psychiatrist, or another mental health professional. Psychiatric physicians and other mental health professionals use a variety of effective treatments. Talking about the trauma in individual, family, or group therapy can be very helpful.

Parents and other adults may also need help if they develop persistent symptoms. Psychotherapy and psychiatric medications can provide relief for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

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About this article: This article provided by the Pennsylvania Medical Society, headquartered in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania Medical Society has advocated for patients and their doctors for more than 150 years. Since its beginning, the Society has represented its members throughout the commonwealth on issues that directly affect patient care. Today, the organization continues to promote a strong patient-doctor relationship in the delivery of health care. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Medical Society, visit www.pamedsoc.org.