The following information is adapted from an article posted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after a stressful time. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How a child reacts and the common signs of distress can vary according to the child’s age, previous experiences, and how the child typically copes with stress.

Children react, in part, to what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with stressful situations calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.

People can become more distressed if they see repeated images of an emergency in the media. Early on, consider limiting the amount of exposure you and your loved ones get to media coverage.

Factors that Influence the Emotional Impact on Children in Stressful Situations

Not all children respond in the same ways. Some might have more severe, longer-lasting reactions. The following specific factors may affect a child’s emotional response:

• Previous stressful event
• Belief that the child or a loved one may die
• Loss of a family member, close friend, or pet
• Separation from caregivers
• How parents and caregivers respond
• Relationships and communication among family members
• Excessive media coverage of the situation 
• Cultural differences
• School community resilience

What You Can Do to Help Children Cope with Stressful Events

Setting a good example for your children by managing your stress through healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and avoiding drugs and alcohol, is critical for parents and caregivers. When you are prepared, rested, and relaxed you can respond better to unexpected events and can make decisions in the best interest of your family and loved ones.

The following tips can help reduce stress before, during, and after a stressful event.

Before

• Talk to your children so that they know you are prepared to keep them safe.
• Review basic safety plans before a stressful event happens. Having a plan will increase your children’s confidence and help give them a sense of control.

During

• Stay calm and reassure your children.
• Talk to children honestly about what is happening in a way that they can understand.   Keep it simple and appropriate for each child’s age.

After

• Provide children with opportunities to talk about what has happened and what they think about it. Encourage them to share concerns and ask questions.
• You can help your children feel a sense of control and manage their feelings by encouraging them to take action directly related to the situation. For example, children can send kind messages to friends and family. 
• It is difficult to predict how some children will respond to stressful events. Because parents, teachers, and other adults see children in different situations, it is important for them to work together to share information about how each child is coping with stress. Please speak with your child’s teacher if you have concerns.

Common Reactions

The common reactions to distress will fade over time for most children. Children who were directly exposed to a disaster can become upset again; behavior related to the event may return if they see or hear reminders of what happened. If children continue to be very upset or if their reactions hurt their schoolwork or relationships then parents may want to talk to a professional or have their children talk to someone who specializes in children’s emotional needs. Learn more about common reactions to distress:

For infants to 2 year olds

Infants may become more irritable. They may cry more than usual or want to be held and cuddled more.

For 3 to 6 year olds

Early childhood and kindergarten children may return to behaviors they have outgrown. For example, toileting accidents, bed-wetting, or being frightened about being separated from their parents/caregivers. They may also have tantrums or a hard time sleeping.

For 7 to 10 year olds

Older children may feel sad, mad, or afraid that the event will happen again. Peers may share false information; however, parents or caregivers can correct the misinformation. Older children may focus on details of the event and want to talk about it all the time or not want to talk about it at all. They may have trouble concentrating.

For preteens and teenagers

Some preteens and teenagers respond to stress by acting out. This could include reckless driving, and alcohol or drug use. Others may become afraid to leave the home. They may cut back on how much time they spend with their friends. They can feel overwhelmed by their intense emotions and feel unable to talk about them. Their emotions may lead to increased arguing and even fighting with siblings, parents/caregivers or other adults.