HOUSTON — Have you been traumatized by natural disasters? It could be weather-related PTSD.
From Harvey, to the derecho to Beryl, the Houston area has been through tough times in recent years and recent weeks, leaving some to deal with weather-related PTSD.
Storms can cause trauma for kids, too.
"A lot of kids may still be processing and trying to figure out what happened and also be concerned about what future storms may bring," Dr. Leslie K. Taylor said.
Taylor is a child and adolescent psychologist with UT Physicians.
"So, it's really important to be honest with kids about storms and prepare them for next steps," she said.
There are things you can do to keep your kids from being so anxious when storms are brewing in the Gulf.
"Talking to them about feelings, being curious with them about the feelings if they're feeling scared about what happened or what could happen again. And talk to them about how we're going to be prepared next time," Taylor said.
There are things parents can do to lower their stress levels.
"Preparation can be really helpful, so let's come up with a list of things that are fun, games that we can play, things that we could do if we don't have power. Everyone is used to tablets in the digital world, so let's do puzzles, get Playdoh, do a puppet show," Taylor said.
Some kids are more susceptible to weather-related PTSD than others.
"If there's been a lot of moves, job loss, any other disruption in the family unit, they can be more vulnerable to developing these symptoms," Taylor said.
Sometimes, a professional needs to get involved. If your child keeps having nightmares about storms, can't stop talking about them, keeps making drawings about them, or is really worried about what's going to happen for weeks on end, you might want to reach out to their pediatrician to get a mental health referral for them.