With hurricanes increasing in both frequency and intensity, one mental health expert suggests that natural disaster preparedness include learning to psychologically cope with the approach of a storm, and the aftermath of what could be a traumatic event for parent and child.
“Mental readying for some may appear to be a simple, seasonal task. However, for victims of natural disasters, especially children – suffering from acute-traumatic stress – preparation is extremely important,” said licensed clinical psychologist, Dr Valerie Knowles.
A mental health expert who has worked with children and adolescents for decades, Dr Knowles knows all too well young people absorb anxiety from the adults around them. Consequently, parents should recognize that their approach to disaster preparation will influence their children’s stress responses.
With parents and children in Grand Bahama and Abaco reporting harrowing tales of watching corpses float by, terrified that their entire family would die in rising flood waters or having to rebuild from scratch in storm-ravaged areas, it's not surprising that June 1, the start to hurricane season would heighten anxiety levels for some persons.
When it comes to disaster preparedness, Dr Knowles advises parents to take steps before a disaster occurs to ensure their family is better able to respond in the event of a catastrophe.
“If in your daily routines, outside of the hurricane season, your parenting style is characterized by chaos, disorganization and hysteria, you are not going to wake up one morning and miraculously find your children equipped with the skills to systematically manage a potentially catastrophic situation.”
To help children cope and develop resilience she recommends including them in planning for emergencies. Although anxiety can never be fully eliminated, the psychologist believes parents could utilize hurricane experiences to illustrate a pivotal lesson – there are some things in life beyond one’s control.
"Children should learn that there will always be frustrations, pain, loss and other distressing emotions with which to contend, but learning ways to fight back is one of those early lessons useful throughout life."
Dr Knowles says children should have an age-appropriate, factual understanding of what happens during a hurricane. Explanations of why the disaster occurred should not leave a child feeling confused and overwhelmed by fear or helplessness.
“All children respond differently to a disaster or emergency. When you help your children to expect and cope with distressing feelings like anxiety, fear, guilt and helplessness, even overwhelming terror, you help them to build and strengthen the family’s ability to cope if a disaster or emergency happens,” the psychologist explains.
“It is difficult to help children manage their feelings if parents and supervising adults do not know what those feelings are. Long before a disaster strikes, allow children to develop the habit of respectfully expressing their fears and concerns about relevant family or personal issues. Help your child learn words to describe and talk about their feelings without embarrassing them or being disrespectful and dismissive of their thoughts and feelings.”
She adds: “The act of gathering supplies can be a teachable moment. Sensible supplies preparation shows one controllable element. Planning for and expecting power outages, communication interruptions and loss of comfort for a while are other elements. There should be a plan for what happens if parents become incapacitated, how to access help if feasible and, more importantly, how to self-calm if left alone. Many times, the child’s religious heritage will influence self-calming strategies.
“Long periods of confinement associated with disaster, dictates the need to develop self-entertainment skills or the creation of activities to fend off boredom and frustration. The more eventualities planned for and discussed, the greater the sense of control. Remember, your child is always observing how you cope and problem-solve, so practice what you teach as often as possible. When disaster strikes and the time comes to execute the plans, if you have reviewed and rehearsed, the practice should kick in, even in the midst of a terrifying experience.”
With natural disaster posing a significant threat to children’s mental health and physical well-being, the psychologist is convinced mental preparation is a key component to younger family members safely weathering a storm.
With hurricanes increasing in both frequency and intensity, one mental health expert suggests that natural disaster preparedness include learning to psychologically cope with the approach of a storm, and the aftermath of what could be a traumatic event for parent and child.
“Mental readying for some may appear to be a simple, seasonal task. However, for victims of natural disasters, especially children – suffering from acute-traumatic stress – preparation is extremely important,” said licensed clinical psychologist, Dr Valerie Knowles.
A mental health expert who has worked with children and adolescents for decades, Dr Knowles knows all too well young people absorb anxiety from the adults around them. Consequently, parents should recognize that their approach to disaster preparation will influence their children’s stress responses.
With parents and children in Grand Bahama and Abaco reporting harrowing tales of watching corpses float by, terrified that their entire family would die in rising flood waters or having to rebuild from scratch in storm-ravaged areas, it's not surprising that June 1, the start to hurricane season would heighten anxiety levels for some persons.
When it comes to disaster preparedness, Dr Knowles advises parents to take steps before a disaster occurs to ensure their family is better able to respond in the event of a catastrophe.
“If in your daily routines, outside of the hurricane season, your parenting style is characterized by chaos, disorganization and hysteria, you are not going to wake up one morning and miraculously find your children equipped with the skills to systematically manage a potentially catastrophic situation.”
To help children cope and develop resilience she recommends including them in planning for emergencies. Although anxiety can never be fully eliminated, the psychologist believes parents could utilize hurricane experiences to illustrate a pivotal lesson – there are some things in life beyond one’s control.
"Children should learn that there will always be frustrations, pain, loss and other distressing emotions with which to contend, but learning ways to fight back is one of those early lessons useful throughout life."
Dr Knowles says children should have an age-appropriate, factual understanding of what happens during a hurricane. Explanations of why the disaster occurred should not leave a child feeling confused and overwhelmed by fear or helplessness.
“All children respond differently to a disaster or emergency. When you help your children to expect and cope with distressing feelings like anxiety, fear, guilt and helplessness, even overwhelming terror, you help them to build and strengthen the family’s ability to cope if a disaster or emergency happens,” the psychologist explains.
“It is difficult to help children manage their feelings if parents and supervising adults do not know what those feelings are. Long before a disaster strikes, allow children to develop the habit of respectfully expressing their fears and concerns about relevant family or personal issues. Help your child learn words to describe and talk about their feelings without embarrassing them or being disrespectful and dismissive of their thoughts and feelings.”
She adds: “The act of gathering supplies can be a teachable moment. Sensible supplies preparation shows one controllable element. Planning for and expecting power outages, communication interruptions and loss of comfort for a while are other elements. There should be a plan for what happens if parents become incapacitated, how to access help if feasible and, more importantly, how to self-calm if left alone. Many times, the child’s religious heritage will influence self-calming strategies.
“Long periods of confinement associated with disaster, dictates the need to develop self-entertainment skills or the creation of activities to fend off boredom and frustration. The more eventualities planned for and discussed, the greater the sense of control. Remember, your child is always observing how you cope and problem-solve, so practice what you teach as often as possible. When disaster strikes and the time comes to execute the plans, if you have reviewed and rehearsed, the practice should kick in, even in the midst of a terrifying experience.”
With natural disaster posing a significant threat to children’s mental health and physical well-being, the psychologist is convinced mental preparation is a key component to younger family members safely weathering a storm.
