Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Rescue Workers Can Do - Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters

Written by NIMH

Identify children who need the most support. Help them obtain it. Monitor their healing.

Identify Children Who:

• Refuse to go places that remind them of the event
• Seem numb emotionally
• Show little reaction to the event
• Behave dangerously

These children may need extra help.

In general adult helpers should:

• Attend to children

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  • Listen to them
  • Accept/do not argue about their feelings
  • Help them cope with the reality of their experiences
• Reduce effects of other sources of stress including:
  • Frequent moving or changes in place of residence
  • Long periods of time away from family and friends
  • Pressures at school
  • Transportation problems
  • Fighting within the family
  • Being hungry
• Monitor healing
  • It takes time
  • Do not ignore severe reactions
  • Attend to sudden changes in behaviors, speech, language use, or in emotional/feeling states
• Remind children that adults
  • Love them
  • Support them
  • Will be with them when possible

How Rescue Workers Can Help:

After violence or disaster rescue workers should:

• Protect children:
  • From further harm
  • From traumatic sights and sounds
  • From onlookers and media
• Be kind, but firm in directing children:
  • Away from the event site
  • Away from injured survivors
• Keep children together with family and friends
• Identify children in acute distress
  • Stay with them until they are calm
  • They may tremble
  • They may ramble
  • They may become mute
  • They may exhibit erratic behavior
    • Loud crying
    • Rage
    • They may sit completely still or frozen
• Be tolerant of difficult behavior
• Be tolerant of strong emotions
• Supportive acts help children feel safe:
  • A quick hug
  • A reassuring word