Course The Emotional Impact of Disaster on Children and Families

Pediatricians should work with schools (and sites that provide daycare) in disaster planning as well as during the post disaster response, because schools are often the best (and sometimes only) setting to deliver mental health services to children after a disaster. Getting children back to school as soon as possible encourages a more normal routine and provides access to emotional support from both teachers and peers. Abnormal grief reactions and mental health disorders such as PTSD are likely to emerge in the school setting. For example, intrusive thoughts and difficulty concentrating may interfere with academic performance and social adaptation. Therefore, school programs that deal with the consequences of trauma and the recovery process may be helpful. These programs should integrate efforts to identify and refer children in need of more intensive individual evaluation and treatment.