CHILDREN’S REACTION TO DISASTER

Children can feel very frightened during a disaster and afterwards some children will show temporary changes of behavior.

For most children these changes will be mild, not last long, and diminish with time. However, reminders of what happened could cause upsetting feelings to return and behavior changes to emerge again. Watching scenes of the disaster on television can be distressing for children, especially for younger children.

Younger children may return to bed-wetting, have difficulty sleeping, and not want to be separated from their caregivers. Older children may show more anger than usual, find concentrating at school harder, and want to spend more time alone than usual.

Some children are more vulnerable, and their reactions can be more severe and last for a longer period of time.

Factors that contribute to greater vulnerability include:

 Direct exposure to the disaster. This includes being evacuated, seeing injured or dying people, being injured themselves, and feeling that their own lives are threatened.
 Personal loss. This includes the death or serious injury of a family member, close friend, or family pet.
 On-going stress from the secondary effects of disaster.  This includes temporarily living elsewhere, losing contact with their friends and neighbors, losing things that are important to them, parental job loss, and the financial costs of reestablishing their previous living conditions.
 Prior exposure to disaster or other traumatic event.



The following are common reactions that children may exhibit following a disaster. While the following descriptions are typical, some children may exhibit none of these behaviors and others may behave in ways not mentioned here.


BIRTH THROUGH 6 YEARS

Although infants may not have words to describe their experiences, they can retain memories. They may react by being more irritable, crying more than usual, or wanting to be held and cuddled more. Preschool and kindergarten children can feel helpless, powerless, and frightened about being separated from their caregivers.

7 THROUGH 10 YEARS

Older children can understand the permanence of loss. They may become preoccupied with the details of the traumatic event and want to talk about it continually. This preoccupation can interfere with their concentration at school and affect their academic performance. Children may hear inaccurate information from their peers which parents can clarify. They may fear that the disaster will happen again and have sad or angry feelings.

11 THROUGH 18 YEARS

As children mature, their responses become more similar to those of adults. Much of adolescence is focused on moving out into the world. Following a disaster, that world can seem more dangerous and unsafe. Teenagers may react by becoming involved in dangerous, risk-taking behaviors, such as reckless driving, and alcohol or drug use. Others may become fearful of leaving home and avoid social activity. Teenagers can feel overwhelmed by their intense emotions, yet unable to talk about them.


FEMA 478
A4499
August 2004

PREPAREDNESS PRIOR TO A NATURAL DISASTER

In the case of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, families and schools sometimes have the opportunity to prepare ahead of time. Being prepared for the effects of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, is important both for the physical and psychological well-being of adults and children involved.


In a natural disaster, preparedness can help off-set some of the short- and long-term effects of experiencing a traumatic event. Being prepared for a natural disaster is essential for several reasons:

• Preparedness can save lives and minimize the mental health impact of natural disasters.
• Action needs to be taken quickly and preparedness allows families to act faster and take steps to protect themselves and their belongings.
• Natural disasters disrupt perceptions of predictability and safety in children. Planning ahead of time will limit disruptions in children’s feelings about the predictability and safety of the world.
• Adults’ reactions to natural disasters greatly influence children’s reactions, feelings and beliefs. Being prepared can decrease feelings of anxiety and concern in adults, and will contribute to calmer reactions in children.
• Emotional vulnerability increases as natural disasters approach. It will be harder to make decisions while emotionally aroused. Developing plans in a calmer setting prior to the approach of a natural disaster will result in more effective preparedness.
• Children who have a history of emotional problems are at greater risk of exhibiting psychological difficulties 
• and adjusting to their lives following the disaster. It is 
• especially important that adults in these children’s lives.