Expected Reactions
of Children & Adolescents to Disasters

• Refusal to return to school or child care. This may emerge up to several months after the disaster.
• Fears related to the disaster (e.g. the sound of wind, rain, thunder, sirens, etc.)
• Sleep disturbances persisting several months after the disaster, manifested by nightmares and bed-wetting. 
• Misconduct and disobedience related to the disaster, reflecting anxieties and losses that the child may not be talking about, may appear weeks or months later. 
• Physical complaints (stomachaches, fevers, headaches, or dizziness) for which no immediate physical cause is apparent.
• Withdrawal from family and friends, listlessness, decreased activity, preoccupations with the events of the disaster. Many children may be confused or upset by their normal grief reaction. Children have reported that they do not feel enough support from adults during a disaster.
• Loss of concentration
• Irritability
• Increased susceptibility to infection and physical problems related to the disaster.