Talking About Tragic Events

Although you may think that your child is better off not knowing about incidents like 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, or the recent shootings across our nation, it was likely discussed on the school bus, the playground, or in a variety of other places and chances are, the information your child heard is at least a little bit inaccurate or exaggerated. Children rely on their parents to be safe and reliable sources of information. Your child needs to know what you think, and the best way to reassure him is to talk about it. To help you with these difficult discussions the West Caldwell Health Department has provided the following links:

onetoughjob.org - Talking About Tragic Events

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event

PBS Parents - Talking with Kids About the News - Crime, School Violence and Shootings

Mental Health America - Helping Children Cope with Tragedy Related Anxiety

AACAP - Facts for Families, Children and Grief

AACAP - Facts for Families, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

AACAP - Facts For Families, Understanding Violent Behavior in Children & Adolescents

Resources

• NJ Hope and Healing - The Mental Health Association in NJ, in collaboration with the NJ Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Disaster and Terrorism Branch, offers emotional support, information and referral through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA/SAMHSA) grant. 1-866-202-4357 https://www.mhanj.org/njhopeandhealing/
   
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline - Free 24/7 confidential support for individuals going through emergencies and coping with suicidal thoughts. 1-800-273-8255; https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
   
• Crisis Text Line - Mental health support and crisis intervention available 24/7 via text message. Text: HOME to 741741; https://www.crisistextline.org