HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-08-31, Page 16ctions to the August 21
nt can be varied, but similar
e Milburn
Signal -Star
en's reactions to the tornado
her -effects are strongly infltt -
how parents, teachers and car -
re coping, says London resi-
hara Dorrington, a consultant
r for the National Institute for
nd Loss in Children.
en need to know they are riot
d they benefit from the stories
eers, which will likely begin
ng once school starts. Com -
tions for adults and children
d fears and anxieties about
ty of family, friends and pets,
around fears of another tornado
ng memories, bad dream or
feeling sweaty and shaky,
ing or staying asleep
ease in activity levels and
oodiness a decrease in
�'on and attention span, a tendency
and more frequent anger
d aggression
e in physical complaints,
headaches and stomach aches
• Changes in work performance or school
performance
An over -focus on the tornado
• Toddlers and young children may return
to regressive behaviours such as thumb -
sucking, bedwetting and clinginess
• Teens and adults may have sleeping
and eating difficulties, have an increase in
conflicts with others, especially those close
to them
.• Financial worries as a result of job loss,
temporary or permanent, due to employers
losing their buildings or businesses
• Survivor guilt is common and there will
be a tendency to compare one's situation
with those "worse off" and "better off"
get
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HELPFUL TIPS
How to help
• As an adult or parent, take
care of yourself first and be kind
to yourself, giving yourself time to
heal. You are mourning a number
of losses. Get adequate rest, eat as
healthy as possible, stay in routine
as much as possible because
these provide safety and comfort.
Avoid drinking excess caffeine or
self -medications to sleep. Avoid
making major life changes in the
next four to six weeks.
• Remain calm and reassuring
with younger family members and
children.
• Volunteer to help others and
encourage family members, even
children to help too
• Take time out to walk, exercise,
go to church or engage in other
calming activities
• Remind children it is not their
fault and recognize that young
children may think they have done
something wrong
• Talk to your children and
remind them they are safe
now. Ask your child what he
or she knows and clarify any
misperceptions about the tornado.
Be honest but keep it simple and
limit your expectations over the
next several weeks. Be present to
Wednesday, August 31 2011 • Signal -Star 15
their feelings and concerns, and
actively show you are listening
to their worries. Do not be afraid
to admit you do not have all the
answers. Reassure regularly about
safety. As a family, develop a
disaster preparedness plan
• Restrict exposure to regular
disaster talk with family friends
and media/news sources.
• Offer activities to keep children
occupied- drawing materials,
lessons, sports, even chores.
• Be supportive and nurturing
and normalize that your child's
reactions are not unusual following
a tornado experience
• Find out about local support
groups in the schools and in the
community
• Be patient as children return
to school as they may be more
distracted and need extra help
with homework. Teachers too can
play an important role in helping
children recover.
When to Worry:
If after four to six weeks, there
are several persistent worry signs,
seek professional help from a
family doctor, a school counsellor,
a counselling agency or a certified
trauma therapist. Also, in a
collective community disaster such
as a tornado, worry signs may be
delayed for several months while
citizens pull together heroically to
rebuild the town.
Worry signs
may Include:
A friend or family member that
continues to ...
• struggle with sleeping
• is easily startled by noises
• is always anticipating danger
or acts unafraid of everything
• continues to have physical
complaints,
• has developed work or
school avoidance or is losing
concentration and has a drop in
performance and grades
• seems distant and sad
• is blaming oneself or often
talks about feeling guilty
• less interested in participathIg
in things the person used to do
• becomes involved in risky
behaviours
• is isolating oneself,
• is using alcohol or drugs for
comfort
40 shows anger and upset when
reminded about the traumatic
event.
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