Individuals, Families & Caregivers

Corona Virus Anxiety

As COVID-19 has us all living in uncertain times, there are ways to manage anxiety and depression for the entire family. One great source of information is this page from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. It provides COVID-19 resources, including videos, tips, and blogs on managing anxiety and coping.

Helping Children Cope with Emergencies and COVID-19

Regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after an emergency. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How a child reacts, and the common signs of distress can vary according to the child’s age, previous experiences, and how the child typically copes with stress.

Children react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with a disaster calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.

The amount of damage caused from a disaster can be overwhelming. The destruction of homes and separation from school, family, and friends can create a great amount of stress and anxiety for children.

The emotional impact of an emergency on a child depends on a child’s characteristics and experiences, the social and economic circumstances of the family and community, and the availability of local resources. Not all children respond in the same ways. Some might have more severe, longer-lasting reactions.

The following tips can help reduce stress before, during, and after a disaster or traumatic event.

Stay calm and reassure your children.
Talk to children about what is happening in a way that they can understand. Keep it simple and appropriate for each child’s age.
Provide children with opportunities to talk about what they went through or what they think about it. Encourage them to share concerns and ask questions.
You can help your children feel a sense of control and manage their feelings by encouraging them to take action directly related to the disaster. For example, children can help others after a disaster, including volunteering to help community or family members in a safe environment. Children should NOT participate in disaster cleanup activities for health and safety reasons.
It is difficult to predict how some children will respond to disasters and traumatic events. Because parents, teachers, and other adults see children in different situations, it is important for them to work together to share information about how each child is coping after a traumatic event.

Expand the section below to see a list of tools and information for helping children to cope with emergencies & COVID-19.

Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
Talking to Kids about COVID-19
Talking to Kids about Fear and Violence
CDC Children Coping Factsheet
Developed in collaboration with the American Red Cross, this booklet offers information about how children typically react to disasters and suggests ways for parents and other caregivers and other adults to help children in coping.
Helping Youth Cope With Disaster Video
Helping Youth Cope With Disaster Podcast PDF
Helping Homebound Children during the COVID-19 Outbreak PDF
RESTORING A SENSE OF WELL-BEING IN CHILDREN AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT: TIPS FOR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS AND PROFESSIONALS
Children are often exposed both directly and indirectly to violent events that occur in our nation’s communities. Many children may live in close proximity to a tragic event while others may learn about these events through the media or from their parents or friends. Parents and caregivers will need to answer children’s questions and reassure them about their safety.

Resources for Children by Age Group

If you are looking for resources specific to your child’s age group, we have organized these resources by specific age groups.

Expand the sections below to see a list of resources for your child’s age group.

Age Related Reactions To Traumatic Events
American Academy of Pediatrics: Children & Disasters
Parent Tips for Helping Infants and Toddlers After Disasters
Part of the Psychological First Aid (PFA) Field Operations Guide, this handout helps parents understand how infants and toddlers may be feeling after disaster. It also lists ways for parents to help their young children cope with disaster. PFA is an evidence-informed, modular approach anyone can use to assist disaster survivors.

Helping Young Children Heal After Crisis. This handout describes how young children may respond to disasters and other crises and suggests ways for parents or other caregivers to interpret their behavior and support them in coping. The handout uses the acronym SAFETY to help readers remember the tips provided.
What You Can Do to Help Children Cope with a Disaster
Download and print the activity sheet pdf
This is an activity page for younger children to learn about coping after a disaster. Setting a good example for your children by managing your stress through healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and avoiding drugs and alcohol, is critical for parents and caregivers. When you are prepared, rested, and relaxed you can respond better to unexpected events and can make decisions in the best interest of your family and loved ones.

Parent Tips for Helping Adolescents After Disasters. Part of the Psychological First Aid (PFA) Field Operations Guide, this handout provides parents with tips for how to respond to an adolescent child after a disaster. The document includes adolescents’ possible reactions, how parents can respond, and examples of what parents can do and say. PFA is an evidence-informed, modular approach anyone can use to assist disaster survivors.

Helping Teens With Traumatic Grief. This tip sheet explains how teens may experience traumatic grief following a disaster or other traumatic event. It describes 10 ways teens may feel, behave, and express themselves as they go through a period of grief. It also suggests ways parents or caregivers can support them and identifies signs that a teen might benefit from seeing a mental health professional.

Helping College Students Cope with COVID-19
Tips for College Students After a Disaster or Other Trauma
American Psychological Association Help Center for Resilience. Building resilience — the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant sources of stress — can help our children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. However, being resilient does not mean that children won’t experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common when we have suffered major trauma or personal loss, or even when we hear of someone else’s loss or trauma.

Resources for Parents, Families & Caregivers

It’s not only the mental health of our children that we need to be concerned with. COVID-19 and any emergency takes a toll on adults too. The dynamics of everyone’s lives have changed in an instant to a situation that was unforseen and unplanned on. The shelter in place order extended the time families spend together from a few hours a day to 24 hours a day for months. Parents becoming teacher, working from at home, and taking care of elderly parents has placed a significant amount of stress on all of the parties involved. We have compiled a list of resources to cope with this stress for parents, families and caregivers.