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Helping Children Cope with Natural Disasters

Natural disasters such as hurricanes can leave children of all ages feeling confused and scared. Whether children have personally experienced trauma or have merely seen the event on television or heard it discussed by adults, they struggle to make sense of what they are seeing and hearing. It is important for parents, caregivers, and teachers to help children make sense of what is happening. Adults also need to be informed and ready to help if reactions to stress are observed in children’s behavior. The following organizations have information for adults working with children who have experienced traumatic events associated with natural disasters. NCCIC does not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.

Federal Agencies

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    800-311-3435
    http://www.cdc.gov

    CDC provides information about general strategies for promoting mental health and resilience that have been developed by various organizations based on experiences in prior disasters. While each individual is affected differently by a disaster, certain groups may share common experiences. CDC has developed materials that cover the following topics:

    • Coping with a disaster or traumatic event;
    • Helping children and teens;
    • Resources for responders;
    • Resources for health professionals;
    • Resources for states and planners; and
    • Educational materials (public service announcements, flyers, and handouts).

    These resources are available at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/.

  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
    800-621-3362
    http://www.fema.gov

    FEMA’s primary mission is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. The following resources contain information about safety and recovering from disasters:

    • The FEMA for Kids Web site provides information for parents and teachers, including activities, curricula and safety information for use in the classroom or at home. This site is available at http://www.fema.gov/kids/teacher.htm.
    • FEMA also provides a page for children who have experienced a natural disaster, which provides information about the “six important things to remember” following a disaster (i.e. “look to adults for help,” “it’s okay to be afraid,” and “things will get better,” etc.) This resource is available at http://www.fema.gov/kids/feel.htm.
  • National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD)
    U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs
    802-296-6300
    http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/

    • The mission of NCPTSD is to advance the clinical care and social welfare of America’s veterans through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stress-related disorders. The following resources are available to those assisting victims of disaster:

    • Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide, 2nd Edition (July 2006), bythe National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the NCPTSD, is an evidence-informed modular approach for assisting people in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism: to reduce initial distress and foster short- and long-term adaptive functioning. It is for use by mental health specialists, including first responders, incident command systems, primary and emergency health care providers, school crisis response teams, faith-based organizations, disaster relief organizations, community emergency response teams, Medical Reserve Corps, and the Citizens Corps in diverse settings. The appendices of the guide include handouts for survivors, which cover the following topics:
      • Parent tips for helping infants and toddlers (for parents/caregivers)
      • Parent tips for helping preschool-age children (for parents/caregivers)
      • Parent tips for helping school-age children (for parents/caregivers)
      • Parent tips for helping adolescents (for parents/caregivers)

    This resource is available at www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/nc_manual_psyfirstaid.html.

National Organizations

  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
    847-434-4000
    http://www.aap.org

    The mission of AAP is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In an effort to assist those working with children who have experienced a natural disaster, AAP has compiled the following resource:

    • Resources to Help Cope with Natural and Other Disasters provides links to information about preparing for and recovering from natural disasters, including the Family Readiness Kit: Preparing to Handle Disasters. This toolkit contains fact sheets on many types of natural disasters and tips for helping children cope in the aftermath. This resource is available at www.aap.org/new/disasterresources.htm.
  • American Red Cross
    202-303-4498
    http://www.redcross.org

    American Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting the immediate needs of those who have experienced an emergency or natural disaster. The following resource can assist those working with children who have experienced a disaster:

  • Child Care Aware
    800-424-2246
    http://www.childcareaware.org

    Child Care Aware assists parents in locating quality child care and child care resources in their community. Child Care Aware offers resources useful in planning for and recovering from natural disasters. The following resources contain information about assisting children who have experienced a disaster:

    • Helping Families and Children Cope in the Aftermath of a Disaster, and
    • Nurturing Children After Natural Disasters.

    Both resources are available at www.childcareaware.org/en/resources/preparing_for_disaster/.

Resources For Emotional Support

It is important for child care providers and parents to remember to take care of themselves during difficult times. Caregivers are better equipped to care for children if they manage their own physical and mental well-being. The following resources offer support to those recovering from trauma:

  • The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) has several resources available to help survivors cope with tragic events, loss, and other related issues. This information is available at www.nmha.org/reassurance/ or by calling 800-969-6642.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides resources and support for adults, children, and first responders who are coping with the aftermath of a disaster. SAMHSA can be reached by calling 800-789-2647.  More information is available at http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/disasterrelief/pubs/manage.asp.

Updated September 2008

 
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