Tuesday, September 06, 2011
The 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks may cause anxiety or stress for many Americans, especially those who witnessed the destruction first hand or who lost a loved one. The anniversary of the attacks may also cause anxiety for other children who have experienced other losses or stressors in their lives, even if unrelated to the events of 9/11. During this time, it’s likely that the news media will show many images of the attacks, which could trigger difficult emotions for some children and adults alike.
Adults often do not know how to talk with children about the way the children are feeling related to these events.
David Schonfeld, MD, Director, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Director, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and Robin Gurwitch, Ph.D., Program Coordinator, National School Crisis and Bereavement, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center give the following tips on what adults can do as the anniversary of 9/11 approaches and how adults can talk to children about the anniversary.
For more information about how adults can talk to children about the anniversary of 9/11, please visit the American Psychological Association’s web site at www.apa.org.
The National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (NCSCB) was established in 2005 with funding from the September 11th Children's Fund and National Philanthropic Trust and now partially supported with funding from the New York Life Foundation. The goal of NCSCB is to promote an appreciation of the role schools can serve to support students, staff, and families at times of crisis and loss; enhance the training of individuals in school-related professional education programs in the areas of crisis and loss; collaborate with professional organizations, agencies, and community groups to further help students, staff, and families at times of crisis and loss; and serve as a resource for information, training materials, consultation, and technical assistance.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News and World Report's 2011 Best Children's Hospitals ranking. It is ranked #1 for gastroenterology and in the top 10 for all pediatric specialties - a distinction shared by only two other pediatric hospitals in the United States. Cincinnati Children's is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health. It is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org