After the Storm: a Guide to Help Children Cope with The
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of Greater Houston To our children and their caregivers, A few years ago, Houstonians would have never dreamed their lives could have been changed overnight. That was before our residents experienced the Memorial Day flood of 2015, the Tax Day flood of 2016, and most recently, Hurricane Harvey. Although just a tropical storm by the time it hit the greater Houston area, Harvey deluged our city with up to 51 inches of water over a five-day period, and resulting reservoir releases added to the misery. The flooding knew no physical or economic boundaries: more than one-third of all Houstonians experienced damage and displacement, including hundreds of thousands of children. Children, as well as adults, are affected psychologically by hurricanes, causing fear, depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate, and other behavioral changes that can interfere with the recovery process for years after the initial event. These responses to trauma can be particularly intense for those families with children who had to leave their home, family and friends. A vital part of effective disaster recovery is addressing the mental health needs of children and adults. Designed for children 6-12 years of age, “After The Storm” is a resource that assists parents or other caring adults in helping school-age children recover from the psychological effects of a hurricane. “After the Storm” is an interactive tool with adult- and child-specific pages that guide a parent or caring adult through activities that encourage the development of coping strategies. Such strategies not only help now, but are essential for weathering future storms, physically and psychologically. Through a generous gift from The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation, The Center for School Behavioral Health at Mental Health America of Greater Houston, in collaboration with the Trauma and Grief Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, is providing this resource to support Houston’s parents and child-serving professionals as they address children’s mental health and well-being in the wake of the storm. Please let us know if we can provide any other resources or assistance. We are here for you. With best wishes, The Center for School Behavioral Health at Mental Health America of Greater Houston www.mhahouston.org The Trauma and Grief Center at Texas Children’s Hospital https://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/trauma-and-grief-center AFTER THE STORM A GUIDE TO HELP CHILDREN COPE WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF A HURRICANE Annette M. La Greca, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics University of Miami Coral Gables, FL Scott W. Sevin, President 7-Dippity, Inc. Elaine L. Sevin 7-Dippity, Inc. Illustrations 7-Dippity, Inc. After The Storm was originally created for children and families affected by the devastating 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons by Dr. Annette La Greca (www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/alagreca) and Scott Sevin and Elaine Sevin of 7-Dippity, Inc., who donated their time and services. For information about 7-Dippity, Inc., please go to: www.7-dippity.com. This book is dedicated to all the current and former forecasters and staff at the National Hurricane Center for your hard work and selfless devotion to saving lives. (c) Copyright 2004 7-Dippity, Inc., 1313 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 301, Coral Gables, FL 33134. All rights reserved. (c) Copyright 2018 Revised edition. 1 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Dear Parent or Caring Adult, Although a hurricane may last only hours, its effects can last for months or even years. In the aftermath of a hurricane, many parents and caregivers express concerns about how the hurricane and events related to it might affect their children. Common questions are: “What should I tell my child?” “How can I tell if these events are bothering my child?” “What can I do to help my child cope with this disaster?” This book is designed to help parents address these questions. Children and adults’ reactions to a hurricane will vary depending in part on how much they were directly affected by the storm. Because of this, some parents and children may be more interested in the materials in this book than others. We suggest you: • Read the book first before choosing which topics and activities to do with a child. • Evaluate your own stress level before beginning work on this book. If you feel you are having difficulty with stress, talk to another adult before working on this book. • Take care of yourself. In order to support and help your child, please take care of yourself. Use some of the tips in this book to help yourself (e.g., limit your media exposure, stay healthy, establish a routine, do something fun, etc.). All parents need a break from dealing with the many stressors that accompany a natural disaster, such as a hurricane. This book contains activities that parents and caring adults can do together with children. The activities are appropriate for children ages 6 to 12 years, but may be adapted for older or younger children as well. We encourage you to adjust the activities and their pace to the child you are working with. Younger children (ages 6 to 8) may need extra help from an adult, and may prefer to complete some activities by drawing rather than by writing. Younger or active children may also prefer working on one topic at a time; others may be able to complete two or more topics in one sitting. Keep in mind that some children prefer to seek out more information than others. There are 15 Topics covered in this book. For each topic, there is an “Adult Page” on the left and a “Child Page” on the right. Some of the Adult pages have “Joint Activities” for adults and children to complete together. Each Adult Page has instructions and activities for adults - Each Child Page contains parallel information and activities for children - There are five sections in this book. The first section, Topics 1-2, contains activities that may help you “ease into” the book. The second section, Topics 3-5, will help you understand a child’s reactions to a hurricane. The third section, Topics 6-9, covers coping skills that should be helpful for most children. The fourth section, Topics 10-14, focuses on coping skills to help children with specific situations. The fifth section contains information on safety and creating a family hurricane plan (Topics 15-16), as well as answers to some common questions and additional useful information. Even though the topics have been put together in a suggested sequence, feel free to “skip ahead” to those that may be especially useful for your child. Find a quiet time and place to complete the activities. Explain to your child that the activities in this book are informative and fun and will help them cope with any bad feelings that they are having as a result of the hurricane. With our best wishes, Annette La Greca Scott Sevin 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introductory Section How To Use This Book .......................................................................................................................... 2 Topic 1. Understanding Hurricanes – What Is A Hurricane?................................................................ 4 Topic 2. Understanding Hurricanes – What Happened? ..................................................................... 6 II. Understanding Your Child’s Responses To A Hurricane Topic 3. Understanding How Your Child Feels ................................................................................... 8 • Tips For Talking About Feelings With A Child .....................................................................10 Topic 4. Understanding Your Child’s Stress Reactions ......................................................................12 • Who Is At Risk For Stress Reactions? ............................................................................... 14 Topic 5. Understanding How Your Child Copes .................................................................................16 III. Helpful Coping Strategies For Most Children Topic 6. Things That Can Help – Normal Routines ........................................................................... 18 Topic 7. Things That Can Help – Reducing Exposure ......................................................................20 Topic 8. Things That Can Help – Staying Physically Healthy ........................................................... 22 Topic 9. Things That Can Help – Helping Others And Giving Thanks ............................................... 24 IV. Helpful Coping Strategies For Specific Situations Topic 10. Coping With Changes ........................................................................................................ 26 Topic 11. Coping With Fears And Worries .......................................................................................... 28 • Identifying Fears And Worries ............................................................................................28 • Lessening Fears And Worries ............................................................................................30 Topic 12. Coping With Intrusive Thoughts And Dreams ..................................................................... 32 Topic 13. Coping With Angry Feelings ...............................................................................................34 Topic 14. Coping With Sadness And Loss ..........................................................................................36 V. Additional Information and Resources Topic 15. Staying Safe After A Hurricane ............................................................................................38