– Let's not lose sight of children, even if they don't directly signal that they are afraid. Just because they don't ask doesn't mean they are not afraid – says Marta Bąkowska, a child clinical psychologist. The expert advised on TVN24 what we can do when a child struggles with fear of flooding.
The psychologist noted that adults' fear directly affects the children they are with. “Children are afraid of what they don't understand. They see these images, but they may not attach meaning to what is happening,” Bąkowska explained.
– I wish that in all our preoccupation with this situation we would not lose sight of how children feel, said the psychologist.
How to talk to a child?
As Bąkowska says, the symptoms of fear in children are different – some are visible at first glance, some are not. – Some children are able to put their fear into words and say “I'm scared, this is terrifying”. But many children are afraid in such a hidden way. Let's remember that when children are scared, they always seek the closeness of adults, most often parents. So children who generally function separately on a daily basis, play, go to school, may seek this closeness much more often, be more “clingy”, explains the psychologist.
Other symptoms include sleep and eating problems, abdominal pain, and bedwetting. In extreme cases, the child may even experience developmental regression.
Children of different ages react to fear in different ways. “Younger children are less able to verbalize what worries and hurts them, but even older children, such as teenagers and young adults, can be more irritable and even aggressive. They can also be overwhelmed by the excess of information.” Bąkowska advises to answer questions asked by younger children in a very simple way, emphasizing that adults are dealing with the problem. In the case of a flood, for example, it is worth emphasizing that firefighters are working on the water and taking care of safety..
According to the expert, it is worth remembering that a child cannot be a confidant of adults' fears and a partner in conversation. – If a child is interested, ready to absorb some information, they ask questions. Let's not lose sight of children, even if they do not directly signal that they are afraid. Just because they do not ask does not mean they are not afraid – appeals the psychologist.
Main image source: TVN24