LCSD COVID-19 Mental Health Awareness Volume I | Page 24

⊲ ⊲ Try to keep your usual routines (or create new routines), such as reading bedtime
stories, eating dinner together, or playing games.
⊲ ⊲ Help children feel in control when possible by letting them make decisions for
themselves, such as choosing meals or picking out clothes.
⊲ ⊲ Contact a health professional if, after a month in a safe environment, children are
not able to perform their usual routines.
⊲ ⊲ Contact a health care provider if new behavioral or emotional problems develop,
particularly if these symptoms occur for more than a few weeks:
● ● Flashbacks (flashbacks are the mind reliving the event)
● ● A racing heart and sweating
● ● Being easily startled
● ● Being emotionally numb
● ● Being very sad or depressed
Don’t:
⊲ ⊲ Expect children to be brave or tough.
⊲ ⊲ Make children discuss the event before they are ready.
⊲ ⊲ Get angry if children show strong emotions.
⊲ ⊲ Get upset if they begin bed-wetting, acting out, or thumb-sucking.
Children’s reactions to trauma are strongly influenced by adults’ responses to trauma.
Parents can help children by being supportive, by remaining as calm as possible, and
by reducing other stressors, such as:
⊲ ⊲ Frequent moves or changes in place of residence
⊲ ⊲ Long periods away from family and friends
⊲ ⊲ Pressures to perform well in school
⊲ ⊲ Fighting within the family
When monitoring healing, remember:
⊲ ⊲ Healing takes time.
⊲ ⊲ Do not ignore severe reactions.
⊲ ⊲ Pay attention to sudden changes in behaviors, speech, language use, or
strong emotions.
What can rescue workers do to help?
During and after a traumatic experience, rescue workers can help by:
⊲ ⊲ Identifying children, adolescents, and families in need of urgent and immediate
medical or mental health services.
⊲ ⊲ Staying with and helping to calm children and adolescents in acute distress.
Signs of acute distress include trembling, rambling, becoming mute, or exhibiting
erratic behavior.
⊲ ⊲ Protecting children and adolescents from physical danger, exposure to additional
traumatic sights and sounds, and onlookers and the media.
⊲ ⊲ Kindly but firmly directing children and adolescents away from the event site.
⊲ ⊲ Connecting—and keeping—children and adolescents with family and friends.