ons.
- Contact a therapist or counselor who specializes in play therapy or child trauma to help you and your child cope with the situation.
- Find someone to talk to about your own feelings, fears and concerns when your child is not present.
Restoring a sense of safety and security is important. Try to follow your usual routine as closely as possible. If s/he does not want to go to day care or school for a day or two, stay home with him/her, if possible. Do normal things, like watch movies or play outside. Talk about the incident only as much as s/he wants, but leave the door open for further discussion or questions.
If your child has trouble eating, don’t force the issue. Make his/her favorite foods and allow eating when hungry. Try to keep mealtime pleasant and free of stressful discussions.
If s/he has problems sleeping, do calming, soothing things before bed. Read or tell stories before bed (not scary ones). Consider leaving the door cracked or open, turn a light on in the hallway or use a night light if fear of the dark becomes a problem. Ensure your child that you are nearby and will check on him/her throughout the night. It may be necessary to allow young children to sleep with you or a sibling for a brief period, but try to limit this. Sometimes a stuffed animal or pet on the bed adds a sense of security.
Try to keep things as normal as possible. It is important to let school counselors, teachers or day care providers know if your child is coping with something traumatic, or even a difficult situation like separation of parents, illness/death of a family member or friend, loss of a pet or other stressors. You do not have to go into detail about personal matters. Simply give them the basics and ask them to make a special effort to let your child know how they can be helpful. It is also good to ask teachers or caregivers to let you know if they notice any unusual behavior at school or day care.
Make notes to share with the counselor or doctor if your child has on-going support. The more information they have, the better they can help your child. Children communicate through play, so pay attention to any themes you notice in your child’s play, as well as sleep and eating patterns.
A young boy I worked with early in my career lost his siblings in a fire. In the play therapy room, he always had a fire truck and police car involved in his play. He rescued and helped people in need. That was one way he worked through his feelings of helplessness about losing his siblings in a fire. You may notice themes in your child’s play. If so, share that information with the counselor.
"Children's Reaction to Trauma: Suggestions for Parents." NASP Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2013.
USA. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2013.