Katrina: Resources and Recovery

Children and Trauma: Helping our Children Cope After Katrina

Connie Briscoe, Ph.D.

We are a community that has suffered much. Some of us were here to experience first-hand the terror that Katrina’s winds and water heaped upon us. Others of us watched and listened in horror as the event unfolded on televisions sets and radios. We knew that nothing would be the same again. “Pre-Katrina” has become a part of our vocabulary. Destruction, filth, sadness, and shock have become familiar experiences. Now, we are working to heal our wounds and rebuild our communities.

We like to think we can protect our children from most harmful situations and like to believe that our children are somehow immune to the emotional reactions that we, as adults, have to traumatic events such as hurricane Katrina. However, events such as Katrina remind us that we cannot inoculate ourselves or our children from all threats to safety or from the difficult and painful emotional reactions to them. Although we could not protect or completely shield our children from these experiences, there is much we can do to help them cope now that the immediate threat and danger is past.

Children do experience emotional reactions to trauma. They are not immune to the anxiety, sadness, grief, fears, and anger that we as adults experience. However, they are often also very resilient and with support and care, they can begin the process of healing. We as the adults in their lives can assist them in this process.

What You Can Expect To Observe In Your Child

Children who have experienced and/or witnessed disasters such as Katrina are likely to experience a good deal of anxiety. Common feelings after being exposed to trauma include shock, fear, guilt, depression or sadness, confusion, shame, loss, and anger. It is likely that your children have and might continue to feel such a range of emotions. They have experienced many losses, including a loss of a sense of security and control. Their homes and/or possessions might have been destroyed. If they were not destroyed, it is likely that there was a period of time in which they had to live with the uncertainty of whether their homes and possessions were intact. Many of our children have had to change schools one or more times. For many, the schools they had attended have been destroyed. Many of the friends they had at their schools and/or in their neighborhoods are displaced and may be moving permanently. In addition, children may have witnessed shifts in parental employment and/or financial status. Much of the consistency and security that our children have counted on is gone. It’s no wonder that they are likely to be feeling such emotions as fear, anxiety, and sadness or depression.

In young children, you might observe some regression such as thumb sucking, bed-wetting, and baby talk. Your child might be afraid of sleeping alone and/or be having nightmares (either directly or indirectly related to the storm and his or her sense of safety). He or she might be throwing tantrums more frequently or be more likely to withdraw to him or herself. If he or she is in school, you might notice a reluctance to go to school or a decline in normal performance. Your child might seem more moody, might cry more easily or frequently, and/or might be more clingy. He or she might worry when you leave the house and want to be with you more often. It is also likely that he or she is more frightened of weather (rain, thunder, etc).

In adolescents, you might notice an increase in behavioral outbursts, sleep problems, or an increase in tendencies to engage in physical altercations. A previously obedient child (if there is such a description for a teenager) might be more prone to be disobedient (i.e., more likely to rebel, more quick to scream or slam doors). You might notice a decrease in academic performance. Some adolescents are likely to try to cope by using substances (alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs). Some might be more withdrawn and less likely to engage in activities they previously enjoyed.

It is important to remember that though these behaviors are concerning and sometimes difficult to tolerate, it does not mean your child is bad or out of control. During times of trauma, children often do not know how to express their feelings, are often confused and afraid of what they are feeling, and have little experience in needing to cope with such a range and intensity of emotions. They are afraid, anxious, angry, and need of support and comfort. When a natural disaster hits, there is no target or perpetrator. There is no one to blame or to focus our hurt or anger on. Children need to find outlets for their feelings and often they come out in the various forms mentioned above.

What You Can Do For Your Child

Provide consistent and frequent messages of safety. One of the most common fears children have after being exposed to traumatic experiences is that they or their support system is no longer safe. They need to be reassured that they are safe now and that you will do all you can to keep them safe. It can be helpful to point out all the people that are working to keep them safe (i.e., parents, grandparents, police, fire fighters).
Be honest. Children need to know they can count on you be open and honest. Rather than stating, “you will always be safe”, tell them that you will always try to protect them. Your children will be more afraid if they think things are so bad you cannot tell them. Stick to the facts. Remember if you don’t talk to them, someone else will.
As soon as you are able, try to reestablish structure (i.e., getting your children back into school, maintaining a consistent bedtime, having your children participate in their old chores). Structure helps provide a sense of security and normalcy. It helps children have confidence that, although much has changed, not everything has changed and things will slowly come back to normal. However, be flexible. For example, your children may have a difficult time falling asleep and need you to spend extra time with them prior to putting them to bed.
Provide opportunities for your children to help others. This helps decrease their sense of helplessness. (When we were returning to Louisiana, I asked my son to choose some of the toys he was given while we were staying in Tennessee that he would like to give to other boys and girls who lost their toys. He really got into this and continues to talk about how good it felt to help other kids).
Make time to talk to your children. Encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings. Even young children can sometimes say they are feeling sad or scared. Encourage them to ask questions. Adolescents may seem reluctant to talk to you about how they are feeling; however, it is important to provide the opportunity for them to talk. You might ask them what their friends are saying or how their school has addressed the storm. For young children, provide alternatives to verbalization (drawing, painting, play, storytelling, or journaling). My son likes to “talk” through his “Woody” doll. He told Woody all about the damage to his house and had Woody ask me questions about things he needed to know.
Take care of yourself. We will be much better able to help others if we take care of ourselves. Talk to others about your feelings. Friends, co-workers, therapists, and/or clergy can be excellent sources of support. Eat right. Exercise as regularly as possible.
Provide lots of hugs. Physical affection (i.e., hugs, putting your arm around their shoulders, playful wrestling) can be very helpful when recovering from emotional trauma.
Allow your children to be more dependent on you during the months following the hurricane (i.e., allow them to cling more). This increased dependency is very normal and should gradually decrease as they come to feel more safe and secure.
Decrease the amount of times they are exposed to the trauma on the news. Like adults, children can experience vicarious trauma. For young children, viewing extended news coverage might result in them thinking the storm has not ended.
Provide play experiences. Play helps relieve tension and can provide outlets to express emotions and fear.
Expect nightmares. It is very common for children to have nightmares following traumatic experiences. It is helpful to expect these and to help your child understand that this is normal. It can be helpful to spend more time reading or doing quiet activities prior to sleep time. This can help them calm and ease their transition to sleep. Allow them to sleep with light on if they want to do so.

When To Seek Outside Help

As I stated above, it is normal for our children to experience feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, guilt, shame and loss after experiencing a traumatic event such as hurricane Katrina. For the most part, these experiences and behaviors will decrease over time. There are times, however, when we need to seek outside help.

Some children are at greater risk and are likely to need professional help. Children who had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or have special needs are likely to have greater risk of developing a psychological disorder that would need professional treatment. Some signs you can look for that may indicate a more severe problem include:

Disruption in peer relationships
Strained family relationships
Significant decrease is school performance
Use of chemicals (alcohol, drugs, etc)
Persistent lack of interest or enjoyment in activities that child used to enjoy
Preoccupation with the traumatic event
Continual and progressive emotional outburst

These signs alone may not be cause for concern. However, when behaviors or mood impact your child’s ability to function at home, school, or in other extracurricular activities, you might want to at least consult with a mental health professional. Staff at Counseling & Career Services are available for consultation. Also, counselors at your child’s school can be an excellent referral source.

Additional Readings And Resources

A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope - http://www.nasponline.org/NEAT/terror_general.html - a handout from the National Association of School Psychologists

Hurricane Katrina: Helping Children Cope – http://www.nmha.org - a handout from the National Mental Health Association

Updated on November 5, 2005