https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/Art/igphoto/2000403174/ photo by Virin
The first earthquake I
experienced was the Sylmar Earthquake in 1971 when I was a young mother and we
had newly moved to California.
U.S. Geological Survey, Desert Sun
I hadn’t
even thought of planning for an earthquake, and I didn’t know what was happening
as I awoke to a shaking bed. Luckily, we
were far enough away from the epicenter to not have any damage. By the time the shaking stopped, we were in
our three daughters’ bedroom. They were
sleeping in a triple bunk bed, and weren’t scared at all. They just thought that one of the others was
shaking the bed.
We just recently felt some
shaking from the Ridgecrest earthquake, and it reminded me that children are
very vulnerable during disasters, that seem to be increasing in number, and we need to know how
to help them cope. Here in California
there are threats of earthquakes and possible tsunamis, wildfires, floods, as
well as house fires, power outages, chemical spills, terrorism or school
shootings. Other areas of the country
face hurricanes, tornados, and horrific lightning and thunder storms that can
scare children.
According to the National
Disaster Report Card on Protecting Children in Disasters, 2014, less than half
of American families have an emergency plan.
If unprepared, a small disaster can affect our children just as much as
a larger disaster and cause more stress for children. “Children affected by large-scale disasters
are five times as likely to suffer from serious emotional issues… and these
negative effects can linger well into their teen and adult years.” https://www.savethechildren.org/content/dam/usa/reports/emergency-prep/GRGS-PARKS-REC-GUIDE.PDF Save the
Children Protecting Children in
Disasters
Being prepared to protect
children can help preserve their sense of security, which is at the very
essence of what it means to be a child.
So make a plan, maybe several plans.
One for earthquakes, one for fire, one for shootings, etc. Teach them what to do. The internet has many sources of material at
child’s level of understanding. Practice
your plan regularly, so they will understand what is happening.
Earthquake Practice Photo by Sharon Brown
Practice is the best way to be sure the
information sticks. If the children are
young, make it a game so they will be less scared and more willing to
practice. This will empower them and
equip them with the tools they need to stay safe. It helps them to feel that they are not just
victims, but are active participants in their own safety. It builds their natural resilience so they
can bounce back more quickly. Make sure
your plan includes a strategy for reuniting after an emergency. This relieves some of the uncertainty and
stress during the disaster.
Put together a family
disaster kit. Involve your kids in the
planning and packing.
abcactionnews.com
Have your kids
help you remember expiration dates. My
son and his wife change their emergency food and water twice a year. Their kids keep reminding them, because they
get to eat all the granola bars, hard candy, and other goodies in their
emergency packs. They also change out
their emergency clothes to their current sizes.
Immediately after the calamity,
stay calm. Those little observers pick
up on our emotions and their reactions often depend on our own reactions. If we are running around crying that the sky
is falling, the kids will panic too. If
we deal with it calmly and confidently, that will affect our child’s ability to
cope also. It’s okay to acknowledge that
things are tough right now, but things will work out and they will be safe.
As helpless as we feel in
such dangerous situations, our children are likely to feel even more so. Give them some control. “According to the National Association for
the Education of Young Children, adults need to give children power over at
least a few daily choices so they have at least some control over their
lives. It can be as little as what game
to play or song to sing next. Any amount
of control you can give them only adds to feelings of security.”
Keep your kids close. According to the FEMA, young children feel
most insecure about being left alone and getting separated from their
family. During and after the disaster,
try to keep your children physically close to you.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Airman 1st Class Mayra
Colon-Santiago, holds 10-month-old Eving Feneus
Hug them and verbally reassure them you’re
all together and safe. After the
Northridge earthquake, our youngest daughters, 12 and 14, wanted to sleep in
our bedroom, so we made them beds on the floor right next to our bed.
Be honest with your
children in an age appropriate manner.
It helps them understand what is going on and to use whatever plan
you’ve created. My mother was a child
during the 1933 Long Beach earthquake.
Her dad was listening to the radio broadcasting from the top of the LA city
hall and describing how it was swaying.
There was tremendous static, which my mother thought was people
screaming, and it terrified her. The
facts would have been calming to her. Many
experts recommend limiting media exposure to prevent further trauma. Taking a break from watching the news can
lessen their distress and anxiety.
Let them express their
feelings honestly. Don’t pooh-pooh their
fears in an effort to calm them. Their
feelings are just as valid as yours, and talking about them will help children
heal after a crisis. “Children who have
been victims of flooding often say that their families and schools didn’t
listen to their experiences, worries or problems. They also say that they didn’t want to burden
their family and teachers with these worries.
So even if your child seems fine, let them know that their feelings are
important to you and let their voice be heard.”
Children who talk about what happened and how it felt often recover more
quickly.
http://theconversation.com/how-to-help-children-recover-from-the
-trauma-of-disaster-88090 The
Conversation How to help children recover from the trauma of disaster,
Nov. 30, 2017 by Florence Halstead
Make the time after a
tragedy as fun as possible. Play games,
enjoy each other’s company, let them draw pictures of what happened.
Chile Earthquake Municipalidad de Talcahuano originally posted to
flicker
Instead of being afraid of staying in the
house, play camping out.
Let them help in the
physical recovery process in age-appropriate ways. It is heartbreaking for them to see their own
belongings destroyed, but it gives them a sense of closure and control if
they’re the ones throwing out their damaged possessions and contributing to the
clean-up efforts. Encourage your
children in helping other families.
Teenagers can muck out houses after floods or mud slides, or provide
lunches for other workers.
However, make sure they
have appropriate protective clothing and work in safe conditions. When Alabama was struck with over 250
tornadoes in 2011, there were more injuries from recovery efforts among
children who were not protected while assisting with debris cleanup than
injuries from the tornado itself.
After the disaster, try to
resume your normal routine as much as possible.
This will comfort children, help them make sense of their surroundings,
and feel comforted. Keeping schedules
consistent, be it snack time, story time, or bed time, is crucial in helping
children cope and recover. They are also
comforted by things they can touch and hold such as blankets, stuffed animals
or toys.
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
But be aware that children
will likely be extra clingy and need extra care and reassurance. Some may regress to younger behavior like
bed-wetting, thumb sucking, or separation anxiety. They may have tantrums or have a hard time
sleeping. Grade school children may feel
sad, mad, or afraid it might happen again.
Preteens and teens can respond to trauma by acting out, or others may be
afraid to leave the house. They may feel
overwhelmed by their intense emotions which may displace to arguing or fighting
with family.
There are many good
children’s books that treat fears and disasters that may help our children
better manage their feelings.
Spend time
with them, reassuring them that you are all together and safe, and listen to
their concerns and feelings.
Children caught in natural
or man-made disasters can suffer from trauma and bereavement far longer than
adults realize.” Children who suffered
through Katrina took several years “to see a lessening of post-traumatic stress
and depression symptoms. …the most important way to help children recover was
to build and maintain supportive relationships.”
The Washington Post The
serious and long-lasting impact of disaster on schoolchildren 2017 by
Valerie Strauss
Often parents don’t
observe the symptoms of trauma such as intrusive memories and feelings of
detachment. “Post-traumatic stress can
manifest largely without parents’ awareness” according to a group of
researchers led by Joy Osofsky of the Louisiana State University Health
Sciences Center. There’s a tendency to
say, ‘Look, the kids are better’—meaning they aren’t crying anymore
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013_Bushehr_earthquake_By_Mardetanha_072.jpg
…But they
still may not be functioning at full level,” said David Schonfeld, director of
the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at the University of
Southern California. Education Week, July 20,
2019 Children’s Trauma Lasts Long After Disasters, Studies Show
If regressive behaviors
don’t subside after the events, or they develop negative behaviors like
aggression, depression, etc., you may want to get some outside help. Many
agencies provide resources and guidance for children’s mental health recovery.
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