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Hot Topic: Helping Children Cope After Disasters
Many areas of the country experienced disasters this year. Resources are available through CYFERnet that deal with many aspects of recovery after disaster. This month, we highlight the ones specific to children’s reactions and recovery afterward. These resources would be helpful to families, schools, and communities as they work to support children and youth.
Children and Disaster: Part 1 Ages and Stages/Los niños y los desastres: Parte 1 Edades y etapas
This four-page publication outlines major types of disasters and how children of different ages may react.
Children and Disaster: Part 2 What Parents and Caregivers Can Say and Do/Los niños y el desastre: Parte 2, Lo que los padres y cuidadores pueden decir y hacer
This four-page publication outlines children of various age groups react differently to disasters and how parents and caregivers can help them cope successfully.
Children as Victims of Natural Disasters
This fact sheet from Purdue Extension uses the research on children affected by political violence as a guide to how children may be affected by natural disasters and recommendations on how to support children and families.
Children May Experience Long Term Effects of Disaster
This Kansas State University Extension fact sheet discusses giving children time to heal after a traumatic event. Studies of have shown that children may show emotional and behavioral effects for months or years following a disaster.
Children’s Reactions to Disaster
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA
This website provides information on some typical behaviors that you might see in children who have experienced a disaster and lists ways to support them in their recovery.
The Disaster Handbook: Stress and Coping
This chapter in the Disaster Handbook discusses stress and coping. It includes information on common responses to disasters, recovery needs, children's recovery needs, strategies to help children, advice for parents and teachers, and a list of books that can be used with children.
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters
This National Institute of Mental Health publication defines trauma, discusses common reactions to trauma, violence and disasters by children of different ages, provides do’s and don’ts for supporting children, and offers additional resources.
Helping Children Cope With a Disaster
This University of Illinois Extension fact sheet is specific to helping children cope with a disaster. It includes common reactions and suggestions for what parents can do to help their children cope.
Helping Children Recover From Disasters
This fact sheet includes information on helping children deal with the emotional impact of disaster. Includes suggestions on what parents and schools can do to support children.
Little Listeners in a World: Coping Strategies for You and Your Young Child After Traumatic Events
This fact sheet from the organization Zero To Three discusses how stress affects parents and their children. It offers suggestions for parents on how to cope and help their children cope after traumatic events, such as natural disasters.
Children, Stress and Natural Disasters: A Guide for Teachers
From the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service is a set of resources for teachers and other child-care or youth workers. These resources include a guide for teachers and activities that teachers can use in their classrooms, lists of curriculum guides on disaster-related topics, a bibliography of children's literature on floods and natural disasters, and a list of resource material that are available from the American Red Cross. The University of Illinois also offers a comprehensive list of disaster fact sheets.
Suggestions for Educators [Helping traumatized children in school] (2008)
This fact sheet gives information to schools on things they can do to support children/students who have been through a trauma or disaster. Also lists how to tell when more follow-up care is needed.
Tips for Talking to Children After a Disaster: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
This SAMHSA publication discusses how children respond to trauma in many different ways. Some may have reactions very soon after the event; others may seem to be doing fine for weeks or months, and then begin to show worrisome behavior. Knowing the signs that are common at different ages can help parents and teachers to recognize problems and respond appropriately. This fact sheet lists these signs and response ideas for parents and teachers.
The Great Storm and Flood Recovery
This story and activity book is intended to be read by children who have lived through a flood, with adult supervision. It offers them an opportunity to discuss floods and how they feel about what happened to them. The book includes an adult/parent/teacher letter with instructions.
Racine County Project Impact Coloring Book
Instructions for children on what a child should do when a tornado watch or warning has been issued for their area. Many of the pages can be colored in. It also provides a list of what to have in an emergency plan and what to include in a disaster kit.
