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Recovery: After a fire
After a fire most families can be expected to recover
over time, particularly with the support of family,
friends, and organizations. The length of recovery
will depend upon how frightening the fire was and
the extent of the damage and loss. Unlike some natural
disasters, where families will return to their normal
routine fairly quickly, victims of fire may have
to contend with damage or destruction to their home
and possessions, overcoming financial hardship,
and possibly obtaining medical care. Children need
time to recover from the loss of a pet or from having
to move out of their school district. In the case
of most natural disasters, many families in a community
may suffer the same fate, whereas a single family
fire often happens in isolation. It is possible
that a family suffering a fire alone may experience
greater psychological distress.
Children's functioning may be influenced by how
their parents and other caregivers cope during and
after the fire. Children often turn to adults for
information, comfort, and help. Parents and teachers
should try to remain calm, answer children's questions
honestly, and respond as best they can to requests.
It helps children and adolescents when they understand
the event they have just gone through.
Children's Reactions
It has been reported that after a fire, almost twenty-five
to thirty-five percent of burned children develop
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), while approximately
fifty percent display a significant number of PTSD
symptoms. To children, fires seem to be an uncontrollable
event; hence, they need to be reassured they will
be safe. Children react differently to a fire depending
on their age, developmental level, and prior experiences.
Some will respond by having nightmares or other
sleep disturbance, while others will have angry
outbursts. Still others may become agitated or irritable.
Parents should attempt to remain sensitive to each
child's reactions. The following are typical reactions
children might exhibit following a fire or any natural
disaster:
Fear and worry about their safety or the safety
of others, including pets
Fear of separation from family members
Clinging to parents, siblings, or teachers
Worry that another fire will come
Increase in activity level
Decrease in concentration and attention
Withdrawal from others
Angry outbursts or tantrums
Aggression to parents, siblings, or friends
Increase in physical complaints, such as headaches
and stomachaches
Change in school performance
Long-lasting focus on the fire, such as talking
repeatedly about it or acting out the event in play
Increased sensitivity to reminders of the fire
Changes in sleep patterns
Changes in appetite
Lack of interest in usual activities, even playing
with friends
Regressive behaviors, such as baby-talk, bedwetting,
or tantrums
Increase in risky behaviors for teens, such as drinking
alcohol, using substances, harming themselves, or
engaging in dangerous activities
What You Can Do to Help Your Child
Parents should spend time talking to their children,
letting them know that it is okay to ask questions
and to share their worries. Although it will be
hard finding time to have these conversations, parents
can use mealtimes or bedtimes to talk. They can
let children know what plans they have with regard
to the living situation, going to school, childcare,
work, and so forth. They should answer questions
briefly and honestly and be sure to ask their children
for their opinions and ideas. Issues may come up
more than once, so parents should remain patient
and open to answering questions again. For younger
children, after talking about the fire, parents
might read a favorite story or have a relaxing family
activity to help them feel more safe and calm.
To help children's recovery, parents should:
Be a role model. Try to remain calm, so your child
can learn from you how to handle stressful situations.
Monitor adult conversations. Be aware of what adults
are saying about the attack. Children may misinterpret
what they hear and be unnecessarily frightened.
Limit media exposure. Protect your child from graphic
images of the fire, particularly those on television,
on the radio, and in the newspaper
.
Reassure children they are safe. You may need to
repeat this frequently even after the fire has long
been put out. The Red Cross provides materials for
children that can help them learn more about fire
safety at http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_584_,00.html.
Spend extra time with your children, playing games
outside, reading together indoors, or just cuddling.
Be sure to tell them you love them
.
Replace lost or damaged toys as soon as you are
able.
Take care of your children's health. Help them get
enough rest, exercise, water, and healthy food.
Be sure they have a balance of quiet times and physical
activities.
Try to return to regular daily life as much as possible.
Even in the midst of disruption and change, children
feel more secure with structure and routine. If
you can, keep to regular mealtimes and bedtimes.
Maintain expectations. Stick to your family rules
about good behavior and respect for others. Continue
family chores, or having children help out where
you are staying, but keep in mind that children
may need more reminding than usual. Children cope
better and recover sooner if they feel they are
being helpful; afterward, however provide activities
that are not related to the fire, such as playing
cards or reading.
Be extra patient once children return to school,
particularly if they must attend a school in a new
location. They may be more distracted and need extra
help with homework for a while
.
Tell your child's school administration and teacher
about the fire and maintain communication with them,
so that they can help make returning to school a
supportive experience for your child.
Give support at bedtime. Children may be more anxious
at times of separation from parents. Spend a little
more time talking, cuddling, or reading than usual.
(You will want to start the bedtime routine earlier
so children get the sleep they need). If younger
children need to sleep with you, let them know it
is a temporary plan, and that soon they will go
back to sleeping in their own beds.
Help with boredom. Daily activities, such as watching
television, playing on the computer, and having
friends over, may have been disrupted. If you must
relocate away from your neighborhood, your child
may miss out on extracurricular activities, like
sports or dance classes. Help children think of
alternative activities to do, such as board games,
card games, and arts and crafts. Try to find community
programs (at the library, a park program, or a local
YMCA) with child-friendly activities your child
can attend
.
Keep things hopeful. Even in the most difficult
situation, it is important to remain optimistic
about the future. Your positive outlook will help
your children be able to see good things in the
world around them. This will help get them through
even the most challenging times.
Seek professional help if your child still has difficulties
more than four weeks after the fire.
Therapy for Children
If children have difficulties for more than six
weeks after the fire, consult a mental health professional
for an evaluation. If the clinician recommends counseling,
keep in mind that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
has the strongest evidence for helping children
recover from a disaster. Therapy for children should
typically include:
Family involvement
Awareness of developmental level and cultural/religious
differences
Assessment of preexisting mental health problems
and prior traumas and loss
Explanation and normalization of the child's psychological
reactions to the attack
Teaching ways to manage reactions, including those
to reminders of the fire
Teaching problem-solving and anger management skills
as needed
Helping to maintain normal developmental progression
What Parents Can Do to Help Themselves
Parents may have a tendency to neglect their own
needs during a crisis. In order to be able to take
care of their children, parents must take care of
themselves. Here are some things parents should
keep in mind:
Take care of yourself physically. Eat healthily,
get enough sleep, and get proper medical care.
Support each other. Parents and other caregivers
should take time to talk together and provide support
as needed.
Put off major decisions. Avoid making any unnecessary
life-altering decisions during this stressful post-fire
period.
Give yourself a break. Try not to overdo clean-up
activities. Avoid lifting heavy items or working
for extended periods of time to reduce injury.
What Teachers Can Do to Help Their Students
Teachers can play an important role in helping their
students recover from a fire. Returning to school
is important in promoting a child's welfare. Try
the following suggestions to assist you in your
work with children, adolescents, and families, if
they experience a fire:
Talk to the child's parents to find out what secondary
stresses they are experiencing following the fire,
such as finding housing, financial hardship, injuries
to family members, or loss of family pet. In this
way, you can be sensitive to the extent of the distress,
and able to refer the family to community resources.
Find out about the child's experience of the fire,
so that you will be aware of curriculum content,
field trip experiences, or other school activities
that might trigger reminders for the child.
Be flexible with regard to amount of homework and
requirements; for example, accept handwritten assignments
for a child whose family has lost their computer.
If a child has relocated to your school temporarily,
due to the family home being uninhabitable, maintain
a packet of information on the childâ??s progress
that can be sent to the original school district
upon the child's return.
If a child comes to school with burns or wounds,
address both the needs of the child and of the other
students. Speak with the administration and faculty
about ways to support the injured child and reintegrate
him or her into the school community. Provide opportunities
for the other students to learn about the injured
child's experience, so they can be supportive rather
than ridiculing.
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