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THE VOICE
Anne Arundel County Chapter

Volume 6, Issue 3

  Page 7

Coping with disaster: Suggestions for
helping children with Cognitive Disabilities
by Anne Farrell, Ph.D. and
Daniel Crimmins, Ph.D.


Most of this country witnessed the September 11th attacks and subsequent devastation on television. Each of us will live with the memory of the violence and horror of the attack. We are all struggling to understand the scope of this tragedy.  This guide provides suggestions for helping children with cognitive impairments or delays to cope with this disaster.  It includes general information about what to expect, and provides strategies for caregivers and teachers to use with children with mental retardation, autism, or other disabilities affecting learning, communication, and understanding.


What to expect: range of reactions

Very young children (ages 2 to 5): sleep disturbance; difficulty separating from parents; fussiness; confusion; fears about safety; somatic symptoms (stomachaches); exaggerated startle to loud noise; and re-enactment of the events through play.

School-age children (ages 5 to 11): worries about the safety of loved ones; attention to adult reactions; withdrawal or hyperactivity; repetitious play; impaired concentration and academic performance; sleep disturbances and nightmares; magical ideas about how the disaster might have been averted; and questions about how someone can come to engage in terrorist acts.

Adolescents (ages 12 to 18): sadness; outrage; risk-taking behaviors; substance use or abuse; sleep or eating disturbances; anger or rage; talk of retaliation; increased sense of alienation; shifts in peer groups; and focus on death. Teens may be particularly vulnerable to impulsive responses.

General strategies to promote coping

Natural supports work best. Children adapt best in their own environments and routines. Allow children to go about routines of school, recreation, and play.

Educate yourself about the impact of trauma and how it changes over time. Knowing what to expect helps you be prepared to provide support.  Teach children that recovery is a process: it takes time, everyone responds uniquely, and there is no "right" way to feel. There are right ways to act, however, and children need good role models. Help them learn about  leaders whose responses are constructive and inspire confidence.

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Focus on doing.  When you demonstrate caring for yourself and others, you are engaged in coping. It is important to express feelings, but coping is also about learning, thinking, and doing.

Limit further exposure to trauma. For younger children, turn off the television during the news. Set aside some time to look at newspaper stories and photographs and answer questions. For older children, watch the news together. Change channels if you feel the media coverage is not constructive. Talk about what you see while you are watching and after you turn it off.

Address concerns about safety. Children will be assured by knowing the steps authorities are taking to protect the public. Explain in concrete terms how our leaders are working together to restore normalcy and increase security. Be honest and calm about risk; don't promise that nothing like this will happen again. Explain that most of us will live long and grow old. Reassure children that you will do everything in your power to protect them.

Specific strategies for children with cognitive disabilities


Speak at the child's language level, giving short explanations. Abstract terms may lead to misconceptions.  Expect and correct misunderstandings. Repeat your responses patiently. Use clear examples and repeat yourself as needed. Gently and carefully repeat correct information and be sure the child grasps what you mean.

Check the child's understanding. Ask about what children are thinking and feeling. Encourage them to draw pictures if they are able. Draw, paint, or color with them. Provide choices of emotions they may be experiencing.  Use pictures that represent "sad" or "upset" if they are not good at expressing themselves with words.

Use pictures and talk together. Show photos of recovery operations. Tell them how the firefighter or police officer pictured is helping. Talk about television and newspaper coverage.

Children may have questions about these events and ask them repetitively, or may want to talk about aspects of the tragedy that may seem irrelevant or insensitive. If an attempt to redirect the child does not work, try to structure or contain the conversation. Provide times and places for the child to discuss the topic with you. Give the child guidelines for talking to others.

Some children with cognitive disabilities may develop stress disorders related to their exposure to this traumatic event. These children should be referred to a mental health professional with appropriate training in both stress disorders and cognitive disability. 


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