Our Children And Grief

How are kids different from adults in dealing with grief? 

Studies have shown that kids are much more likely than adults to have physical pain and other body-based symptoms as part of their grief. This may be, in part, because it’s harder for kids to put their feelings into words. Instead, they hold on to all those feelings inside, and they show up in other ways.

How do children handle grief?

Often the child will show anger towards the surviving family members. After a parent dies, many children will act younger than they are. The child may temporarily become more infantile, need attention and cuddling, make unreasonable demands for food, talk baby talk, and even start wetting their beds at night. 

 

Which strategy is an effective way to help a child cope with grief?

Stick to routines

Children find great comfort in routines, so if you need some time alone, try to find relatives or friends who can help keep your child’s life as normal as possible Although it is important to grieve over the death of a loved one, it is also important for your child to understand that life does go on.

 At what age do children feel grief?

Five to ten years.

At age seven, most children understand that death is permanent and inevitable. Some children may take longer than this. They are aware of death, and they may worry that you or others may die too.

 How does grief affect a child’s brain?

People who interact with recently bereaved children find them sad, angry, and fearful; their behavior includes appetite and sleep disturbances, withdrawal, concentration difficulties, dependency, regression, restlessness, and learning difficulties.   

What are the symptoms of a child with traumatic grief?

self-blame, or thoughts about the horrible way the person died. These children may show signs of avoidance and numbing such as withdrawal, acting as upset, and avoiding reminders of the person, the way they died, or the event that led to the death.  

How well children cope with grief is most heavily influenced by?

Caregiving Context. Children and adolescents rely heavily on the adults in their environment to navigate and cope with the death of a loved one, making the caregiving context one of the most critical factors in facilitating adaptive grief.

Do children go through stages of grief?

Many people are only familiar with the “five stages of grief;” however, grief is not a linear experience, especially in children. Children display emotions differently than adults. Grief for kids is both emotional, intellectual, social, and physical.

 

With Respect

THE GFA TEAM