Terror Threat Advisory and Your Kids
From Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,Your Guide to Pediatrics

Question of the Week

Q. My six year old recently told me that he was afraid because the Homeland Security Threat Advisory had been raised to the organge or high level. What should I do about this?

A. While it is understandable that he would be concerned or afraid because he knows this, the most important thing that you can do is to make sure that he is not exposed to these terror alerts and news about terrorism on a continual basis.

Since he does know already, some things you might want to know before you can help him is:

Where did he hear about the terror alert? Was it from watching the news, or a discussion at school, or from one of his friends?

What else does he know about current world events?

What exactly is he worried about?

This last question is especially important, because you might find that he just wants reassurance that his family and friends are safe, and he might not need a whole discussion about what is going on in the world right now.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 'it's important to communicate to children that they're safe. Given what they may have seen on television, they need to know that the violence is isolated to certain areas and they will not be harmed. Parents should try to assure children that they've done everything they can to keep their children safe.'

Although the following resources can help you and your child better understand and cope with current events, if your child has persistent fears, especially if they are interfering with his school, home or social functioning, you should likely seek professional help:

• Psychosocial Aspects of Children, Terrorism and Disasters
• Talking to Children about Terrorism and War
• Talking to Kids about the News
• How to Talk to Your Child About the News
• What's Happening in the World Today?
• Talking with Kids about the News

If your child is still concerned, it might help for him to understand that your family is prepared in case a disaster or act of terrorism does happen.

Be Prepared for a Disaster

You should plan in advance what you will do in an emergency. Be prepared to assess the situation ,use common sense and whatever you have on hand to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Think about the places where your family spends time: school, work and other places you frequent. Ask about their emergency plans. Find out how they will communicate with families during an emergency. If they do not have an emergency plan, consider helping develop one.

When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water and food, clean air, and warmth. This guide to supply checklists, special needs items and making a first aid kit can also help in your preparations. This Family Disaster Planning guide from the American Red Cross can also help to make sure that your family is prepared in case of a disaster.