July/August 2014Vol. 15, No. 7Helping Children Cope With Death and Trauma
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network recently released three tip sheets to help caretakers and educators identify children's reactions to a traumatic loss and facilitate the healing process. Specifically, the tip sheets highlight some of the symptoms of traumatic grief in young, school-age, or military children. Key signs may include:
- Avoidance and guilt
- Anger and regressive behavior
- Recurring and intrusive thoughts
- Physical aches and pains
- Having trouble sleeping and concentrating
The tip sheets also suggest the role parents and educators can play in providing children with different types of support, depending on the child's age and developmental level. Examples of activities and coping strategies to encourage healing are also outlined. All three tips sheets are available on the National Child Traumatic Stress Network website:
- Helping Military Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Educators:
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/ctg_military_factsheet_for_educators.pdf (153 KB) - Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers:
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/helping_children_with_traumatic_grief.pdf (101 KB) - Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers:
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/10things_schoolage_ctg.pdf (131 KB)