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Virginia Tech Massacre: National Crisis Charity Offers Tips & Tools to Deal with Aftermath

Virginia Tech Massacre: National Crisis Charity Offers Tips & Tools to Deal with Aftermath

Published 04-16-07

Submitted by KidsPeace

NEW YORK, NY - April 16, 2007 - Following the fatal shooting of dozens of students at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg and the wounding of dozens of other people, the national children's crisis charity KidsPeace is issuing expert tips to help schools, parents, and children cope with the aftereffects of the situation, as well as advice and perspective to the media. The 125-year-old nonprofit is also alerting schools and the public about the existence of a free resource that helps young people resolve problems before they become dangerous, and which has prevented school shootings in the past.

Tips to Schools, Parents & America’s Kids:

    FOR PARENTS: For young people who have fears that their school or college is not safe or may become the target of a school shooting, KidsPeace offers 10 ways for parents and teachers to reassure and help their kids through such a crisis. The tips are online at www.kidspeace.org.
    FOR SCHOOLS: To help school systems see the early warning signs of danger and deal with the psychological fallout of the scare, KidsPeace has online articles ( www.kidspeace.org) from its national "Healing" magazine.
    FOR KIDS: Perhaps most importantly, KidsPeace and top children’s experts Dr. Alvin Poussaint from Harvard and Dr. Lewis Lipsitt of Brown University have created a unique free website, www.TeenCentral.net that allows older kids and teens to work through the emotional stresses of growing up today "“ before those stresses become dangerous or overwhelming. TeenCentral.net, which gets 20 million hits a year, gives clinically screened help and hope to kids in all 50 states, at U.S. military bases worldwide, and in dozens of countries around the globe. The site helps kids identify the problems they face, from depression to school pressures, peer problems, family disputes, drugs, alcohol, smoking, even suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming others.

School Shootings Averted in the Past
TeenCentral.net has prevented a number of mass tragedies, as well as an uncountable number of personal ones. This happened in 2002 when a California teenager wrote in to TeenCentral.net saying he was going to "go Columbine" and kill students at his school. Although the site rigorously protects kids’ identity, a vigilant online counselor at KidsPeace alerted the authorities about the anonymous threat. In cases of potential disaster, the authorities can obtain a court order to track an individual server and the massacre was prevented. Although this kind of occurrence is unusual, this was one of several instances in several states where distraught teens were prevented by TeenCentral.net from carrying out plans to kill groups of their peers.

"The point is," says C.T. O’Donnell II, president and CEO of KidsPeace, the National Center for Kids Overcoming Crisis, "there are resources that can save lives and limit the fear and damage to other children who worry they may be next."

"Local kids may still be affected by the fear this has caused," says Monica Decker, state manager for KidsPeace in Richmond. "It's important to talk to kids who are still worried."

10 Tips for Talking to Children About Shootings

C.T. O'Donnell II and the clinical experts at KidsPeace have compiled a list of tips to help parents talk to their children about what happened and look out for future signs of distress:

1. Listen to children. Allow them to express their concerns and fears.

2. Regardless of age, the most important issue is to reassure children of safety and security. Tell children that you, their school, their friends and their communities are all focused on their safety and that those around them are working for their safety. Have discussions about those dedicated to protecting them like police, teachers and other school officials, neighbors and all concerned adults throughout the community.

3. When discussing the events with younger children, the amount of information shared should be limited to some basic facts. Use words meaningful to them (not words like sniper, etc.). Do not go into specific details.

4. School-aged children will ask, "Can this happen here, or to me?" Do not lie to children. Reiterate how the community is focused on working to keep everyone safe in the community.

5. Parents, caregivers and teachers should be cautious of permitting young children to watch news or listen to radio that is discussing or showing the situation. It is too difficult for most of them to process. Personal discussions are the best way to share information with this group. Also, plan to discuss this many times over the coming weeks.

6. When discussing the events with preteens and teens, more detail is appropriate, and many will already have seen news broadcasts. Do not let them focus too much on graphic details. Rather, elicit their feelings and concerns and focus your discussions on what they share with you. Be careful of how much media they are exposed to. Talk directly with them about the tragedy and answer their questions truthfully.

7. Although this group is more mature, do not forget to reassure them of their safety and your efforts to protect them. Regardless of age, kids must hear this message.

8. Be on the lookout for physical symptoms of anxiety that children may demonstrate. They may be a sign that a child, although not directly discussing the situation, is very troubled by the recent events. Talk more directly to children who exhibit these signs:

    Headaches
    Excessive worry
    Stomach aches
    Increased arguing
    Back aches
    Irritability
    Trouble sleeping or eating
    Loss of concentration
    Nightmares
    Withdrawal
    Refusal to go to school Clinging behavior

9. Parents and caregivers should often reassure children that they will be protected and kept safe. During tragedies like these, words expressing safety and reassurance with concrete plans should be discussed and agreed upon within the family to provide the most comfort to children and teens.

10. If you are concerned about your children and their reaction to this or any tragedy, talk directly with their school counselor, family doctor, local mental health professional or have your older children visit KidsPeace's teen-help web site, www.teencentral.net which provides anonymous and clinically-screened help and resources for teen problems before they become overwhelming.

KidsPeace is a 125-year-old national children's crisis charity dedicated to giving hope, help, and healing to children facing crisis. With 66 centers nationwide, KidsPeace directly thousands of children a day with life-saving treatment to overcome the crises of growing up. With the help of VIP leaders including its national spokesperson Leeza Gibbons, KidsPeace helps millions more each year through educational outreach and awareness programs designed to help America's kids and parents anticipate, intervene in and master crises that can affect any child "“ from disasters and personal traumas to family issues and neglect to life-threatening depression, eating disorders, and the many stresses of modern life. KidsPeace was named "The Outstanding Organization" of its kind in the country by the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children and was called "a prototype of what we need for all children everywhere" by the late, nationally renowned child and family expert, Dr. Lee Salk.

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KidsPeace

KidsPeace

KidsPeace is a 124-year-old national children's crisis charity dedicated to giving help, hope and healing to kids facing traumas, depression, eating disorder, abuse, and the stresses of modern life. Founded in 1882 in Bethlehem, Pa., KidsPeace helps some 4,000 children a day at 65 centers nationally and millions more through public education and outreach with the support of its National Spokesperson Leeza Gibbons, Harvard's Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Brown University child development pioneer Dr. Lewis P. Lipsitt, national children's safety and self-esteem icon Retro Bill, and other notables. KidsPeace was called "the outstanding organization" of its kind by the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children and "a prototype of what we need for all children everywhere" by family expert Dr. Lee Salk.

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