Psychological Counseling and Guidance Specialist Barış Sezgin has warned parents against freezing reflexes in children exposed to disaster-related news.
Earthquakes that shook Türkiye on Feb. 6 are the main focus of the news channels these days. Sensitive images from the quake-hit areas are shared on both social media and television. Sezgin warned against the potential psychological effects of sensitive images and advised parents on how to inform children about the earthquake or its related news.
Explaining how parents should monitor the news consumption of their children, Sezgin said: "As adults, we understand how to handle the situation but children freeze when they encounter something unknown. The current situation has affected children who are exposed to news feeds on social media."
"There are studies suggesting that these problems and traumas last for five to six years. That is why we need to take initial measures before it's too late," Sezgin stressed.
"Children become anxious and stressed. This may cause stomachaches, and they may wet their bottoms as a result of their freezing reflexes. Therefore, methods to cope with stress must be implemented in certain situations," he added.
Methods
Families should conduct earthquake-related studies and training. "Let your kids research themselves to understand earthquake as a scientific concept. Normal routine exercises must be followed with children to make them feel safe in order to draw their attention away from the stress induced by the earthquake and its related news," he noted.
