{"id":14896,"date":"2017-07-05T23:31:54","date_gmt":"2017-07-05T21:31:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responsive.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents\/?p=14896"},"modified":"2022-06-21T10:54:19","modified_gmt":"2022-06-21T08:54:19","slug":"helping-kids-cope-with-traumatic-events-garden-route-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/parenting\/helping-kids-cope-with-traumatic-events-garden-route-fires\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping kids cope with traumatic events: Garden Route fires"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Garden Route fires took everyone by surprise.\u00a0 After a trauma, it\u2019s completely natural to be in a state of shock and disbelief.\u00a0 Children often experience trauma differently, as they are more sensitive and less able to express their feelings and needs.\u00a0 They need our ongoing reassurance and support \u2013 even if their houses were ultimately safe, yet had to evacuate suddenly and\/or witness the scale of the fire, or destruction of land and homes.\u00a0 All children in these communities have been impacted in some way, and for many their entire sense of safety in the world can feel different or shattered because their whole community has experienced such a large shock.<\/span><\/p>\n

During traumatic events, the brain goes into an adaptive \u2018emergency mode\u2019 (i.e. flight or fight mode) \u2013releasing stress hormones (like adrenaline and cortisol) to cope with whatever comes.\u00a0\u00a0 After the immediate danger is over however, it can be hard to convince the body that it can relax again and that the danger is truly over.\u00a0 Add to this the fact that children are more sensitive and don\u2019t express themselves well, so a range of behaviours, including sleep and appetite changes can be expected. Understand that these are all normal reactions to an abnormally stressful situation and these changes may last for a few weeks.\u00a0 With your on-going and responsive support, and attentively addressing their needs, these reactions often disappear and children recover fully.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Ewald Stander courtesy of Business Day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are four simple principles to help children cope :<\/h2>\n