Post-Harvey, news can trigger anxiety in kids
With Hurricane Laura threatening our area last week and coverage of its fierce Category 4 winds and destructive force plastered all over the news, it is important to remember that events like this storm can trigger anxiety and fear for children who live along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Although it has been three years since Hurricane Harvey made landfall, many children in our region are still experiencing the impact of that disaster, including the psychological distress that may not always be evident to those around them. Throughout an active hurricane season, children are likely to be reminded of Harvey, and their emotional pain is very real.
Complicating matters for them are all the other ongoing stressors. Concerns span from worries about themselves or their family getting COVID-19 to the uncertainty surrounding the school year and extracurricular activities. Some children are also in homes where one or both parents have lost jobs, or are taking in other relatives. These are certainly challenging times, and it is not surprising that children can, and often do, have negative reactions.
The effects of trauma build over time, and the more adverse experiences our children endure, the higher the risk of long-term negative health outcomes.
A study by Kaiser Permanente found that children with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences were three times more likely to have lung disease, 4.5 times more likely to develop depression and 11 times more likely to use intravenous drugs.
Further, the young people most at risk for developing post-traumatic stress are those who have experienced prior traumas — with bereavement, in particular, the most common predisposing adversity.
Losing a parent, grandparent or other relative to COVID-19 can make these children even more susceptible to becoming overwhelmed by the threat of a hurricane and even more likely to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
Knowing how to identify signs of posttraumatic stress can be an important first step in differentiating what might be considered “typical” reactions from those that indicate a need for treatment.
These signs and symptoms can vary based on each child’s personality and their age.
In younger children, we look for: excessive clinginess and separation anxiety; trouble with sleeping or eating; outbursts and tantrums; and/or excessive crying. In older youths, markers of post-traumatic stress can include nightmares, social withdrawal, aggression, depression, risky sexual activity and/or use of drugs or alcohol.
In general, however, there are some basic steps that adults can take to help alleviate stress in children and adolescents. We refer to these as the “Six S’s.”
• Safety and security: Help the child feel as safe and secure as possible.
• Simple and straightforward: Speak to the child in language they can understand, and be careful about overwhelming them with too much (or too frightening) information. Have them guide the conversation by asking them open-ended questions.
• Supervision: Monitor the child’s media consumption, keeping it to a bare minimum. Watch the news with them, answer questions and be prepared to shut it off if it gets too frightening.
• Structure: In times of chaos, children find comfort in predictability. Even if going to school is not an option, or the family is going through a dramatic change, stick to a routine as much as possible.
• Social support: Connecting with a wide support network was already problematic because of COVID-19; however, social support is a major protective factor for both adults and children in times of stress. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to use phone calls, texts, Zoom, Facetime or whatever technology you have available to bring youths closer to the people they need and love.
• Self-care: Parents and other caregivers should be mindful of their own stress and anxiety levels, taking steps to ensure they are getting enough sleep, exercising, eating right and connecting with their own support systems.
We are living in a complicated world, with a high baseline of stress for all of us, and we recommend taking things day by day. By using simple tools like the Six S’s, we can help children manage stress.
If you or a loved one is in immediate distress, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Kaplow, Ph.D., ABPP, is executive director of the Trauma and Grief Center at the Hackett Center for Mental Health. Blau, Ph.D., is executive director of the Hackett Center for Mental Health.