In a country where crime is commonplace, kids are often witness to traumatic events. Medical procedures or automobile crashes can also traumatise a child. What can a parent do to help in the aftermath of such an event?
Take action:
Let the child know it is normal to feel upset when something bad or scary happens; encourage the child to express feelings and thoughts, without making judgments; protect the child from further exposure to traumatic events; return to normal routines as far as possible; as the child's most important routine, school can be a major healing environment – educate school teachers about the child's needs; allow the child to feel sad and/or cry; give the child a sense of control and choice by offering reasonable options about daily activities (choosing meals, clothes etc.).