By Melanie Dallas, LPC

I wrote most of the article below just over two years ago, following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. At the time I wrote that many U.S. children, including in Georgia, might be traumatized by what had happened there, even though it is more than 1,000 miles away. But the school shooting at Apalachee High School, in Winder, Georgia, is much closer to home – and so is my concern for our children.

So I want to focus on what’s known as vicarious trauma – how our children here in northwest Georgia can be traumatized by events that may not have happened to them personally, but which might still cause them to feel fear, anxiety, depression and distress. If we are aware of the signs, there are many things we can do to help children cope and heal.

In my previous article, I quoted Kira Riehm, Ph.D., now a psychiatric epidemiologist at Columbia University, who had written in Time magazine how children can be deeply affected by school shootings, even if they weren’t directly involved. “The root issue is this concern and fear that this could also happen at your school…,” Riehm wrote. It is likely many children feel this way right now.

Compounding our children’s fears also may be the fact that coverage of a school shooting is everywhere (and even more so in the state it occurred). A generation ago, news coverage of a national tragedy was largely confined to newspapers and TV news broadcasts at specific times of day. But today, coverage of such events is nearly ubiquitous on 24/7 cable news channels, online streaming services and social media. In other words, in the wake of a tragedy, children may be bombarded with images and information – not all of it factual – simply by logging on to do their homework.

But parents and caregivers can do their homework too, and the first step is being able to recognize if your child may be experiencing trauma-related symptoms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), such signs could include feelings of anxiety or worry about the safety of themselves or others, nightmares or other sleep problems, trouble concentrating, or increased irritability or anger.

But even if your child doesn’t exhibit specific signs, as a parent you likely know when something about your child just isn’t right. And if you notice that, there are things you can do to help your child talk about his or her feelings, even if they may find them difficult to articulate.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (www.nctsn.org) is an excellent resource for parents, teachers, caregivers and healthcare providers to learn about trauma generally, and also how to talk to children about the trauma that may result from a school shooting or other tragedies.

NCTSN has published a fact sheet on its website that provides 15 specific actions parents can take to help their children cope with trauma – such things as helping your child know they are safe, limiting your child’s media exposure, monitoring your child’s relationships and activities, and most of all, taking time to talk – and listen. The fact sheet is available in English and Spanish at: https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-guidelines-helping-youth-after-recent-shooting. I would encourage every parent to download this resource – it may be something you can share with your child to start a conversation.

Finally, during this time of shock and mourning, it is important to remember that no one is immune from trauma, and this event was likely traumatizing to parents, teachers, school staff, and many others throughout Georgia. So even as you have compassion for our children, be sure to assess your own feelings too – if you are struggling, you are not alone.

Our hearts go out to the children, parents, families, teachers and community of Winder, Georgia; we share in your grief. But our hearts must also be with our children everywhere Georgia; they need our support, compassion and understanding right now too.

Melanie Dallas is a licensed professional counselor and CEO of Highland Rivers Behavioral Health, which provides treatment and recovery services for individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities in a 13-county region of northwest Georgia that includes Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Floyd, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk and Whitfield counties.

NOTE: The original version of this article was titled “Children can be traumatized by tragedy, even far away,” and was distributed by Highland Rivers Behavioral Health to media partners in the agency’s 13-county service area on June 2, 2022.