Children of Disaster

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On August 13, 2016, many people in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas awoke to water rushing into their homes in what was later referred to as the 100-Year Flood. Media outlets reported that more than 30,000 people were rescued and about 110,000 homes were damaged in the Baton Rouge area, totaling approximately $20.7 billion in damage. The reports of Harvey’s devastation in Houston and other areas of Texas and southwestern Louisiana are eerily familiar to those from our own city just one year ago.

Children and teens exposed to natural disaster might experience a range of emotional and psychological reactions, including sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, developmental regression, and withdrawal from friends and family. Parental and peer support are key to the recovery process. Here are some ways to help children cope with the aftermath of a natural disaster:

• Build resilience. Resilience is our ability to adapt in the face of adversity. It is our capacity to “bounce back” when we experience a challenging situation. Some strategies for developing resilience include building positive connections with others, understanding and accepting change as a natural part of life, cultivating a positive view of yourself, maintaining a hopeful outlook, and practicing self care. There are many ways to do this. For example, help your child identify some of the important people in her life. Encourage him to think of a difficult time in the past and how he was able to make it through. Ask her to make a list of things she can do when she is feeling sad or scared, such as call a friend or listen to music.

 

• Keep things as routine as possible. Family routines provide a sense of stability in our daily lives. This sense of stability is disrupted during a natural disaster. Returning to previous routines or developing new routines allows children to feel safe and secure and to have some sense of normalcy during a time that is anything but “normal."

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• Limit media exposure. In our 24-hour news cycle with a constant stream of updates, we can become overwhelmed with images and information related to the natural disaster, and this can inhibit the healing process. While you want to keep your children informed, it is important to avoid media saturation related to the event.

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• Allow children to participate in the recovery process. This can foster a sense of hope and empowerment in children.

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• Know when to ask for help. If you are worried about your child, reach out to a professional for help. Your school counselor can connect you with resources and community referrals.

For additional resources, you can visit the following sites:

American Psychological Association’s Help Center for Disasters & Terrorism - http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/disaster/index.aspx

American Red Cross, “Recovering Emotionally” - http://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/recovering-emotionally#During-the-Holidays

FEMA, Helping Children Cope with Disaster - https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/children.pdf

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Jodi Manton

Jodi Manton has served as the Upper School Counselor since 2015 where she provides academic and social/emotional services to Upper School students and their families. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified School Counselor. She has a master's degree in education with a concentration in mental health counseling and a Certificate of Education Specialist with a concentration in school counseling from Louisiana State University.