In aftermath of Katrina, children still suffer
(Credit: Chris Metcalf. Some rights reserved.)
Howard Osofsky: Children want to be home. They want to be back with friends, they want to be back with family in New Orleans.
That’s Howard Osofsky, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Louisiana State University. He’s talking about children and families now living in New Orleans – in the emotional aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Howard Osofsky: We are seeing so many children who, while they’re pleased to be back, are showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, depending on their age, or problems when it rains, when there’s a thunderstorm.
Osofsky and colleagues have assessed the mental health of over 14,000 New Orleans children since the devastating 2005 hurricane season. He said one out of every two children assessed needs mental health care. That’s twice the average prior to Katrina. Osofsky said schools can help kids heal.
Howard Osofsky: If we provide services collaboratively with the schools, they’re more effective for children and families, I find. They’re destigmatized.
And that’s really the bottom line, said Osofsky, that seeking help is the right thing to do.
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Natural disaster is really terrible which everybody can not controled. Actually, scary,sadness of losing relatives and facing the remains are all within their heart.Healing the Kid’s mental health is the most important things after the disaster.Our country has just passed an incredible big disaster, i think we should fouce on it,in additional, i hope everybody can give a kind hand to those victim no matter who u are and where u are. After all, we are live in the same global.
it really sucks that these kids had to go through that