Thunder making you a little jumpy?
It's a familiar feeling among South Floridians, especially this time of year. And according to the American Meteorological Society, it's common. About eight in 10 people have experienced some form of fear related to weather.
Yet children and young adults are often even more susceptible to this phenomenon.
The University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychology and the Pediatrics division at the Miller School of Medicine have several experts who study weather-related anxiety—and anxiety in general—in children and young adults. Annette La Greca, distinguished professor of psychology and pediatrics, began studying the impacts of disasters on the mental health of children and their parents after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. She has studied the topic ever since in her Youth Risk and Resilience Lab and has two free manuals for teachers, parents, and caregivers called "After the Storm," and "Youth Strong," which aim to help build children's resilience to fear and other emotional reactions to storms or other disasters. She is currently working on a "Before the Storm" version.
In addition, psychology professor Jill Ehrenreich-May is an expert in child and adolescent anxiety, depression, and related concerns. She authored a widely used resource for psychologists and therapists on strategies for treating emotional disorders in youth and directs the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment program—a clinic that uses evidence-based practices to help kids, teens, and parents navigate anxiety and related disorders.
And Drs. Anjali Saxena and Kendra Van Kirk are assistant professors of clinical in internal medicine and pediatrics at the Miller School. After seeing the mental health impacts of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 firsthand, they developed a literacy-based mental health program for children in the Bahamas, as part of the Global Institute for Community Health and Development. Recently, in collaboration with La Greca, they created another program to help South Florida children with complex medical needs and their families prepare for storms.
With hurricane season expected to ramp up soon, News@theU asked the experts how adults can help children and those unfamiliar with storms to cope better.
- How can you notice signs of weather anxiety in children and young adults?
Dr. Anjali Saxena, assistant professor, Division of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
If there is a change in things that kids can typically do easily, or if they are no longer excited about their interests—particularly during or right after a storm—that could mean they are experiencing storm anxiety. For example, if before they would go brush their teeth without any issues, but now it's thundering outside and they need a parent next to them or are getting upset, that could be a sign they have anxiety. In general, if they are suddenly maintaining a secure attachment with a parent, it can be a sign of worry or anxiety.
Dr. Kendra Van Kirk, assistant professor, Division of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
If you see a child starting to fidget or squirm, or if they look uncomfortable and cannot make eye contact with you, it can be another sign they are stressed or anxious. A child may be extra emotional, which can appear as disobedience or defiance. It is important to remember that these behavior changes may not be a sign of intentional disrespect, but rather a response to their inner anxiety or fear.
- What causes storm anxiety?
Annette La Greca, distinguished professor of psychology and pediatrics
Individuals who are prone to anxiety focus on things that are threatening, which can make them more anxious.
Jill Ehrenreich-May, associate chair for graduate studies, Department of Psychology
Often, even for people who are not particularly anxious, when it comes to hurricanes and tropical storms, fear of the unknown can trigger hypervigilance, which could look like a person checking the latest spaghetti models or their weather apps constantly. Some people have had a bad experience in the past, so it's a traumatic reaction to a previous storm or flood.
Dr. Kendra Van Kirk, assistant professor, Division of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics
We know that children and adults who have been exposed to serious weather events, such as hurricanes, have a higher risk of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A child who has lived through a bad hurricane may have increased stress and anxiety around weather events that are not necessarily hurricanes in the future.
- What are some things that parents and other caregivers can do to ease storm anxiety?
Annette La Greca, distinguished professor of psychology and pediatrics
If it's a local thunderstorm, you can reassure the child that we are inside, which is the safest place to be. You can also do your best to distract their attention from the thunder and lightning by engaging them in other activities.
In "Youth Strong," we focus on calming exercises like deep breathing and relaxation, so helping kids to self soothe in the moment can be very helpful. Also practicing mindfulness, where you focus on the present, rather than worrying about the future, can also help.
They can also call a friend, watch a movie, or do some homework.
Jill Ehrenreich-May, associate chair, Department of Psychology
There are also grounding exercises like 5-4-3-2-1, where each number helps the person focus on one of their five senses. Often, we wait to practice these calming techniques until we are nervous, but if it is more of a routine, they are much more available when something is more stressful.
- What about larger storms, like hurricanes? How can we help kids to mentally prepare for these weather events?
Bulleted below are key tips shared by most of the experts.
- Keep a consistent routine as much as possible
- Limit exposure to media
- Be cautious about evacuating, unless you need to do so for safety.
- Include children in the preparation and planning process for storms. They can help fill a hurricane kit, or pack their own bag, should you need to evacuate.
- Talk to kids about the storms, rather than avoiding the topic.
- Use resources that already exist, like the app "Help Kids Cope," which guides families in disaster preparedness to lessen the mental health impacts on kids. It's free and was developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. There is also Ready.gov, a website from FEMA that has lists of what to prepare for a hurricane or other natural disaster and what to bring, should a family need to evacuate.
