Help Kids Cope After

WHEN TO USE THISChildren take their cues from you. Your calm is the most powerful thing you have.

Stay close
- Get down to their eye level. Hold them. Let them sit on your lap.
- Teens may want space — make sure they know you're there.
- Don't leave them alone right after.
- Say it: "I'm here. You're safe. We're together."
Why
A child's biggest fear after a disaster is being separated from the people who care for them.
Tell the truth, sized to their age
- Ages 2–6: short and concrete. "A big storm broke some things. Helpers are fixing them."
- 7–12: more detail, answer what they ask — not more.
- Teens: like young adults. It's okay to say you don't know.
- Keep the news off — the same images over and over are hard on kids.
Keep routines
- Meals and bedtimes at the usual times, when you can.
- A bedtime story, a morning song — small rituals anchor them.
- Can't keep the old routine? Make a simple new one.
- Give them small jobs — helping gives back a sense of control.
Watch for warning signs
- Normal for a few weeks: clinging, nightmares, bedwetting, crankiness, not eating, fear of being alone.
- Get help if: it lasts more than a month, they go silent and withdrawn, they talk about wanting to die, or their behavior changes drastically.
- When there's service: Disaster Distress Helpline — call or text 1-800-985-5990, 24/7.

Sources: SAMHSA Helping Children Cope After Disaster · National Child Traumatic Stress Network

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.

Stay close