Hurricanes & Children

How old are they again?

When preparing to evacuate to safer territory, it’s enough to have to worry about yourself. If you have to prepare an entire family for what’s to come, that takes a higher level of determination. This is a time when they will rely on you more than ever. When it comes to kids and helping them handle something that you’re worried about, remember to keep your words age appropriate.

Watch what you say about roofs blowing off.

With all the unpredictability and variables that come with an approaching storm, it’s no wonder the head of the family is anxious. But for them, try to keep it together and watch what you say. When preparing to evacuate because of a storm, kids of all ages want to know 3 specific things:

  • Am I safe?
  • Are my parents or caregiver going to be safe?
  • How is it going to affect my daily life moving forward?

Kids have big ears. They pick up on a lot of verbal and non-verbal cues from adults. Be mindful of repeating any scary information from the media. Kids can sense the tension in the air if you get overly dramatic about what could happen.

Preschoolers need to know that a dangerous storm is not something we have control over.

But we will prepare so we can get through it. It’s up to us to keep them safe and that’s what we’re going to do. Little kids tend to be more confused and can get overwhelmed. They may even think they played some role in causing the disaster. Don’t overexplain or bring in information that may be over their heads. Experts say ask open-ended questions like, how are you feeling? Shielding them entirely from media reports may not be possible. They will not fully understand what they’re hearing. You can ask, what have you heard about? Ask them what they want to know and specifically what they’re worried about.

Young kids may worry if their pet goldfish will be OK. Reassure them that we’ll do all we can to stay safe and if something gets broken, we’ll try to fix it. If you don’t know an answer to a question, be honest. It’s OK to say you don’t know. Say you’ll find out or say you don’t know but this is our plan.

School-age children are better at processing information and what to do with it.

They are better at understanding factual information. No surprise that adolescents are the most aware of what’s happening, having grown up in the digital age. They are likely absorbing social media in real time. Parents need to make sure they are getting this information from trusted sources with emergency preparedness experience.

Experts suggest using analogies to help kids comprehend why a storm this strong happens. For example, when baking a cake, you have all the right ingredients to make it taste good when it comes out of the oven. Same idea of what makes a hurricane — warm water and steady, strong winds. Experts also compared it to a top spinning on a table. It then gets knocked down by a big wind whirling around faster or in a different direction.

Have a kid-specific preparedness kit.

Some items will depend on your own needs but here’s a starting point.

  • Spare clothing pack: Pack those old, less popular clothes they don’t usually wear. When the clothes they’re wearing get dirty or wet, even their least favorite duds are better than nothing. Also, pack extra socks and underwear.
  • Kid-friendly foods: For example, canned ravioli, mac & cheese, fruit roll ups, trail mix, PB&J, applesauce, baked cheese crackers, and dry cereal. Keep in mind what foods your kids like to eat at home and those they don’t. If a 9 year old doesn’t like peas at home, don’t expect him to eat them from your prep kit.
  • Baby wipes: If there isn’t running water, they’re perfect to wipe down you and those that created the stench in the backseat.
  • Fun & games: Pack of cards, board games, blank paper pads with crayons, and magnetic car games. Keep them from being bored, especially on long car rides, by packing a variety of activities to get the imagination going and pass the time.
  • Comfort items: Favorite stuffed animals, blankets, toys, or anything else that brings your child comfort.

Get everyone in the family involved

Whether it’s organizing the backpacks or helping map out the evacuation, the more input kids have will make them feel more in control of the the situation. Older children in particular will appreciate you asking for their input. After the storm, get the whole family involved in the clean up process.

Valuable links for parents and caregivers

Tip

Psychologists agree that children are the most susceptible to psychological trauma associated with natural disasters. Trauma occurs when there is sufficiently a scary or dangerous situation, and a hurricane certainly falls into this category.

Numerous studies have shown that children experience a great deal of stress because of a hurricane. They are young so they do not really understand. They are displaced, evacuated from the only place they call home, have seen their neighborhood damaged or destroyed and have lost personal belongings. In some hard-hit areas such as Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, thousands of toddlers were left homeless. It is not shocking that many develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Symptoms include recurring bad dreams and feeling anxious.

Parents and caregivers can log online at NCTSN.org (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network). This website is a good resource for the public, professionals, and others who care about children and are concerned about child traumatic stress.