Disasters strike quickly and without warning. These events can be traumatic for adults, but they are frightening to children if they do not know what to do. During a disaster, children may have to leave their homes and have their daily routines disrupted. This may leave a child frightened, anxious and confused. As an adult, you will need to cope with disaster and also give your children crucial guidance about how to respond and handle the situation.

Children depend on their daily routines: They wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, play with friends. When emergencies or disasters interrupt this routine, some children have difficulty coping with these changes.

In a disaster, they will look to you and other adults for help and guidance. How you react to an emergency gives them clues about how to act. If you react with alarm, a child may become scared. They see our fear as proof that the danger is real. That is why it is important to have a plan for each hazard that threatens our community and to ensure that children are included in development and exercising the plan.

Children's fears also may stem from their imagination, and you should take these feelings seriously. A child who feels afraid, is afraid. Your words and actions can provide reassurance.

Feelings of fear are healthy and natural for adults and children. But as an adult, you need to keep control of the situation. When you're sure that danger has passed, concentrate on your child's emotional needs by asking the child to explain what is troubling them. Your response during this "problem time" may have a lasting impact. Be aware that after a disaster, children are most afraid that:

• The event will happen again
• Someone will be injured or killed
• They will be separated from the rest of the family
• They will be left alone