How Can I Help My Child Cope with Earthquake-Related Anxiety?

How Do I Manage My Child's Earthquake Psychology? Children who experience earthquake disasters, witness the events, or learn about the physical and psychological trauma of acquaintances may face "Acute Stress Disorder" following an earthquake. Reliving the moment of the earthquake is a common problem in children affected by the disaster. Families treating all responses their children exhibit during this abnormal period as normal and expected, monitoring their children's behavior and seeking specialist support when necessary, enables more appropriate management of earthquake trauma. Specialist Doctor Leyla Alkaş from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Memorial Şişli Hospital provided recommendations for controlling the destructive psychological effects caused by earthquakes during childhood and adolescence.

First, understand how your child's mental health has been affected!

How has the earthquake affected my child's mind? Families should first observe their children's behavior and monitor their responses to find the answer to this question, then follow the correct approach toward their children. Some behavioral changes that may develop in children following natural disasters such as earthquakes include: • Experiencing games, statements and thoughts related to the earthquake moment, • Sleep and appetite problems, becoming infantile, maintaining physical contact so as not to separate from adults, • Acting angry, naughty, irritable, restless, excessively active, • Becoming silent, withdrawn, and immobilized with anxiety, • Avoiding anything that reminds them of the earthquake, • Withdrawing from things they enjoyed, appearing dreamlike and inattentive. Monitor and stay close to your child who has been intensely affected by the earthquake! It is appropriate for families to calm themselves first and obtain accurate information on this subject before addressing their child. Subsequently, the following behavioral patterns that comfort and reassure children should be developed: • Hug your young child. • While nursing your baby or feeding your child, try to occupy your mind with beautiful days ahead rather than the earthquake. • Observe, understand, love and accept the child you are responsible for. • Observe your child, find meaning in their behavior, provide the reassurance of your presence, listen without forcing them to speak, calm them and stay with them. • Allow young children to express themselves by not interrupting their play or words, not interpreting them; let them draw, play and speak.

Listen to your child's earthquake fears and thoughts about earthquakes!

When faced with children's questions such as "Will there be an earthquake here?" that may also trigger the fears of families and adults, remaining calm, honest and constructive is never easy. For this reason, it is more appropriate to explain the reality of earthquakes to them by saying, for example, "Earthquakes occur in many places around the world, more or less. The old rocks deep beneath where we live are trying to settle into their places. The natural beauties in our world are shaped this way." Additionally, providing information to the child about precautions that should be taken against earthquakes or asking for their thoughts will also have a reassuring effect. By building a connection with questions such as "What should we do if an earthquake occurs?", "How should we prepare for an earthquake, shall I show you?", "Maybe you also have thoughts on this," you can ask them to share their ideas. Even if the child mentions a solution that seems meaningless to the family, supporting and listening to them is very important. It is necessary to prevent the child from witnessing images and horrifying conversations related to earthquakes. Particular care must be taken not to blame or shame the child for being naughty, unhappy or anxious. Do not make promises that cannot be kept, do not share false statements and information with them, but ensure they are supported to be part of the solution and recovery, not the problem and fear.

Seek professional help if your child develops a mental disorder!

The frequency, severity and level of disruption to daily routines of behavioral changes resulting from the child's acute stress reaction should be monitored accordingly. The more directly exposed the child has been to earthquake trauma, the more losses and sorrows they experience, the more frequently "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," "Simple or Complex Grief Disorders in Children," and even "Depression Anxiety Disorders" related to repeated secondary traumas are observed. In children who are safe and not directly affected, the process decreases within 2 to 4 weeks. If the frequency and severity of symptoms do not decrease or even worsen, if sleep, eating, playing and daily activities are disrupted, if going to school and doing homework become increasingly difficult, close monitoring or even professional support may be necessary.