
Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event
Describes how young children, school-age children, and adolescents react to traumatic events and offers suggestions on how parents and caregivers can help and support them.
Extreme heat, or a heat wave, occurs when temperatures are substantially hotter and more humid than average for an area and usually lasts for multiple days to weeks. Because of this humidity, heat waves may feel hotter than the actual temperature, and this subjective experience is measured by the heat index. Extreme heat can be dangerous as the body must work extra hard to maintain a normal temperature and stay comfortable, putting vulnerable individuals at risk for becoming sick. Extreme heat may accompany drought conditions.
Being prepared beforehand is the best way to help children and family members adjust after extreme heat. To improve their preparedness, families should:
Knowing what to do during a period of extreme heat can help families stay safe. Families should:
After a period of extreme heat, most families will recover and be able to return to their normal routines rather quickly. Most children will demonstrate resilience after a heat wave. The greatest problems such as sleep issues and irritable mood tend improve quickly when the heat decreases. Those children who have experienced a loss of a loved one or pet will need additional grief support to help them adjust.
Below are resources to support children, families, and communities to recover after extreme heat.
Describes how young children, school-age children, and adolescents react to traumatic events and offers suggestions on how parents and caregivers can help and support them.
The national Disaster Distress Helpline (call or text 1-800-985-5990; for Spanish, press “2”) is dedicated to providing crisis counseling and support 24/7/365 for anyone in the U.S./territories experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns related to any natural or human-caused
Offers activity ideas to parents and caregivers whose families are sheltering in place, social distancing, and homeschooling due to school closures amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.
Helps parents talk to their kids about the disasters they may face and know how best to support them throughout—whether sheltering-in-place at home, evacuating to a designated shelter, or helping your family heal after reuniting.
Lets responders review PFA guidelines and assess their readiness to deliver PFA in the field.
Is a handout from Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide (PFA). This handout provides parents with common reactions after a disaster, ways to respond to those reactions, and examples of things you can say to your adolescent.
Is a handout from Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide (PFA). This handout provides parents with common reactions after a disaster, ways to respond to those reactions, and examples of things you can say to your infants or toddlers.
Is a handout from Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide (PFA). This handout provides parents with common reactions after a disaster, ways to respond to those reactions, and examples of things you can say to your preschool-age child.
Is a handout from Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide (PFA). This handout provides parents with common reactions after a disaster, ways to respond to those reactions, and examples of things you can say to your school-age child.
Gives guidance on responding to disaster or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. This evidence-informed approach helps to assist children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism.
Provides parents and caregivers with tips on media coverage of traumatic events.
Makes it easy to provide quality support to survivors. Users can navigate pre-deployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance, post-deployment resources, and more—at the touch of a button from the home screen.