It’s hard to escape news and photos about death and destruction in the wake of the tragic earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. For kids, it’s even harder to make sense of these situations. Stories on the evening news have prompted questions from my seven-year-old. While it would be easier to simply flip the TV channel back to SpongeBob, it’s also a learning opportunity. We use the time to talk about what’s happening and how he feels. If you want to talk to your children about the ramifications of natural disasters and violence there are resources that can help.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), children and adolescents can be traumatized by natural disasters or violence. NIMH defines "trauma" as hurt or harm to the body or mind. NIMH offers a free 20-page brochure for parents and caregivers, detailing ways to help children cope with trauma and stress in the days and weeks following a disaster, being victimized, or being a witness to violence.

The brochure, “Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do,” offers advice on helping children avoid or overcome emotional problems, deal with their fears, get medical counseling, and stop further trauma. It details possible reactions to trauma from children as young as 2, up to age 17.

Traumatized very young children may look afraid, move around aimlessly or even become immobile, while a teen may get depressed, have suicidal thoughts or nightmares, experience flashbacks, or engage in antisocial behavior. Some children will go completely numb, or show very little reaction to a traumatic event. Traumatic events, such as living through a hurricane, tornado, a school shooting, witnessing violence, or being the victim of violence can leave any child with long-term problems, grief, anxiety or even post-traumatic stress disorder.

What can you do to help? NIMH offers these suggestions:

• Listen to your child and accept their feelings
• Monitor the healing process and accept that it takes time
• Be supportive and remind them that the adults in their lives love them
• Explain what happened or is happening, and that it’s okay to be upset
• Allow children their fears, do not expect them to be brave or tough
• Give them extra attention, and try to stick to their normal routine.

According to NIMH (not surprisingly), “Young children’s reactions are strongly influenced by parent reactions to the event.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) even offers suggestions on how children can prepare for a disaster and become a Disaster Action Kid. They use cartoons and Sesame Street characters to teach children how to work together to plan for emergencies.