BALTIMORE – The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is now a major moment in Maryland history.
Its effects are rippling through our communities, and dealing with all of that can impact our mental health, especially for children.
Dr. Christy Phillips, a child psychologist at Kennedy Krieger University, says she's seeing far more children complaining of anxiety, depression or general sadness about what happened. “What they're trying to let you know is maybe they're acting more clingy, maybe they're trying to connect with mom and dad a little bit more.” They may not want to be without them because they feel “anxious,” Phillips reported.
Children may have difficulty understanding the complexity of a situation, but Dr. Phillips says it's best to start the conversation with age-appropriate and accurate information.
Dr. Phillips instructs parents to sit down with their children, acknowledge what happened, and open the door to dialogue. “Tell me this is what happened. This is what's happening.”
Let them ask questions and lead by example.
“If a family member comes in more calmly and confidently and talks about the situation and the child's safety…the child will understand,” Phillips said.
She also says how important it is to acknowledge their feelings and provide reassurance.
“You know, it's okay to feel this way, and we're safe… This is a very rare, tragic, but rare occurrence… In this moment, we… is safe…we've built a bridge “It was okay before, and we're going to continue to do that to make sure we don't add to that fear,” Philip said. Ta.
She also says that developing an action plan and volunteering to help those most affected may help you cope with feelings of helplessness.
For more resources, visit Kennedy Kreiger's website.
