K-12 Schools

Children’s Developmental Level and Disasters: A Fact Sheet for Teachers and Administrators

People of all ages share some similar feelings and reactions in response to disaster. Teachers and administrators, however, have a special role to play in meeting the needs of children and adolescents in coping with and recovery from disaster. School personnel have the capability to understand these needs and can help students through these difficult times. In addition to staff and faculty, it is also important for students to understand their own responses in order to cope with disaster and trauma.

Typical disaster-related reactions for children and adolescents of all ages include:

Fears of future disasters or of events associated with the disaster
Loss of interest in general activities, school, work, or hobbies
Regressive behavior such as thumb-sucking and toilet-training accidents
Sleep disturbances and night terrors

Here are some responses of people of various ages, and some suggestions for ways of being helpful.

Preschool (ages 1-5): Children in this age group are particularly vulnerable to disruption. These children often need others to help them cope with the disruption and with their responses to the disturbance. Abandonment is a major fear associated with this age group. Thus, children who have experienced losses of loved ones (including pets or even toys) often need special reassurance. Typical responses include:

Thumb sucking
Bed-wetting, loss of bladder or bowel control
Fears of the darkness or of animals
Physical and emotional “clinginess” to parents and teachers
Night terrors
Speech difficulties (e.g., stammering)
Loss or increase of appetite

Teachers and support professionals can respond helpfully to children between the ages of 1-5 by:

Encourage expression through play or other symbolic creative activities such as coloring or clay sculpting. Children of this age often express their feelings of grief and loss mostly clearly through non-verbal methods.
Provide verbal reassurance and physical comforting
Give frequent and extra attention
Plan calming and comforting activities, and de-emphasize stressful tasks
Encourage parents to allow short term changes in sleep arrangements such as allowing children to sleep with a light on or with the door open, or on a mattress in the parents' or another child's room, or remaining with the child while the child falls asleep. Reassure your students of your predictable and stable presence.

Early childhood (ages 5-11) In this stage of development, children often display Regressive Behavior. This is when children tend to display behaviors or interaction styles from previous developmental levels. This is one of the most typical responses is children of this stage. This is thought to be because children in this developmental stage experience a sense of loss more intensely than others in ways that are more difficult for them to manage. Some typical forms taken by regression include:

Irritability
Whining
Clinging
Aggressive behavior at home or school or other in other settings.
Open competition with younger siblings for teachers’ attention
Night terrors, nightmares, fear of darkness
School avoidance or other problems
Withdrawal from peers
Loss of interest and poor concentration in school

Some things that are helpful in the school environment are:

Patience and tolerance
Play sessions and discussions with adults and peers
Relaxation of expectations at school or at home (with a clear understanding that this is temporary and the normal routine will be resumed at a later date).
Opportunities for structured but not demanding tasks at school
Rehearsal of safety measures to be taken in future disasters in a way that is appropriate to the developmental level of the students

Pre-adolescent (ages 11-14): Peer reactions are especially significant in this age group. Students need to feel that their fears are both appropriate and shared by others. Responses should be aimed at lessening tensions and anxieties and possible guilt feelings.

Typical responses include:

Sleep disturbance, appetite disturbance
Rebellion in the home and school
Task refusal such as not doing homework or assignments
School problems (e.g., fighting, withdraw, loss of interest, attention seeking behavior)
Physical problems (e.g., headaches, vague aches and pains, skin eruptions, bowel problems, psychosomatic complaints)
Loss of interest in peer social activities

Some things that may be helpful are:

Group activities geared toward the resumption of routines
Involvement with same age group activity
Group discussions geared toward relieving the disaster and rehearsing appropriate behavior for future disasters
Structured but undemanding responsibilities
Temporary relaxed expectations of performance at school
Additional individual attention and consideration

Adolescent (ages 14-18): Adolescence is a time when peer-groups are most important. Thus, any disaster or disruption of these groups or activities and roles associated with peer-groups are usually the most distressing for individuals in this age group.

Typical responses include:

Psychosomatic symptoms (e.g., rashes, bowel problems, asthma)
Headaches and tension
Appetite or sleep disturbance
Hypochondriasis
Amenorrhea or dysmenonhea
Decrease in energy level
Apathy or Agitation
Irresponsible and/or delinquent behavior
Decline in autonomy and assertiveness in the school environment
Poor concentration

Some support responses that might be helpful are:

Encouraging participation in the community rehabilitation or reclamation work
Encouraging the resumption of social activities, athletics, club involvement, etc.
Encouraging discussion of the disaster experiences with peers in the school environment in a way that is safe and contained
Temporarily reducing expectations for level of school and general performance

Some resources specifically for children with developmental disabilities: