When a disaster happens, parents and teachers are faced with the challenge of talking with children about difficult subjects. Although these conversations are hard, they are important. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to talk with children about tragic events. The following are resources written or chosen by a child and adolescent psychiatrist that you may find helpful. Use these as a starting point but if serious concerns arise, consult a mental health professional. To find a child and adolescent psychiatrist near you, use the AACAP’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder.

Facts for Families - providing up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families.

• Talking To Children About Terrorism And War
• Understanding Violent Behavior In Children and Adolescents
• Children and Grief
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Childrens Threats: When Are They Serious?
• Children And the News
• Children And Movies
• Children And Firearms
• Children Online
• Children and Watching TV
• Children And TV Violence
• Children and Video Games: Playing with Violence
• The Influence Of Music And Music Videos

The DevelopMentor - a news letter devoted to informing medical students and general psychiatry residents about child psychiatry.

• The Impact of Media Violence on Children and Adolescents: Opportunities for Clinical Interventions
• Interrupting the Cycle of Violence: The Child Development Community Policing Program

Policy Statements - Statements that reflect the AACAP's voice on issues affecting the health of children, adolescents, and their families.

• Children and Guns

Other Resources

• Talking to Children about Wildfires and other Natural Disasters
• Talking to Children About Community Violence
• Dealing with Violence
• Talking to Children about the Death of a Public Figure