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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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