Helping Children Understand What is Happening: Tips for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
Servizio
Neuropsichia
t
ria
I
n
f
an
t
ile-Ambula
t
orio
T
rauma&EMDR
Cen
tro
S.
Maria
al
Ca
st
ello
–Pessano
c/B
C
H
IL
D
R
E
N
N
EE
D
T
O
U
ND
E
R
S
T
AND
W
H
A
T
I
S
H
A
PPE
N
I
N
G
T
ips
f
or
paren
t
s
,
caregiver
s
,
t
eacher
s
,
grandparen
t
s
.
Wha
t
to
say
an
d
how
to
say
it
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
TEXT
BY
D
r
.
AL
ESSIA
I
NCE
R
T
I
Psychologi
st
,
psycho
t
herapi
st
,
T
rauma
&
EMDR
Outpatient
F
ondazione
Don
Carlo
G
nocchi
Clinic
cen
t
er
-
Pessano
C
/
B-
Milan
Italy
D
r
.
Ma
r
t
ina
T
aran
t
ola
Psychomo
t
or
t
herapi
st
F
ondazione
Don
Carlo
G
nocchi
Clinic
cen
t
er
-
Pessano
C
/
B-
Milan
Italy
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
Wh
a
t
is
h
a
ppenin
g
?
H
o
w
to
e
xp
la
in
the situation
to
c
hildren
that
don't
kn
o
w
or
can't
re
a
d.
Us
e
A
A
C
sy
m
bols
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
DEAR
CH
I
LDREN
THESE
AR
E
SOME
SPEC
IAL
S
D
A
YS
Wh
a
t
is
h
a
ppenin
g
?
YOU
CANN
OT
GO
T
O
SCH
OO
L
YOU
CANN
OT
GO
T
O
PL
A
Y
WITH
THE
THERAPIST
WHY
NO
T
?
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
IN
I
T
A
L
Y
IS
C
OMING
T
H
E
C
O
R
O
N
A
VI
RU
S.
C
ORON
A
VI
RU
S
MAKES
PEOPLE
SIC
K
WITH
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
SEVER
E
C
O
U
G
H
AND
F
EVER
il
T
H
E
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
VIRU
S
H
AS
T
H
E
CROWN
D
OC
T
O
R
S
AR
E
T
R
E
A
T
I
N
G
SIC
K
PEO
PL
E
BU
T
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
T
O
HEL
P
T
HEM
WE
H
A
VE
T
O
S
TA
Y
A
T
H
OME!
S
TA
Y
I
N
G
H
O
ME
IS
A
BIT
BOR
IN
G
BU
T
THER
E
AR
E
MAN
Y
FUN
GAMES
T
O
D
O
WITH
MUMMY
AND
DADD
Y
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
WHEN
C
ORON
A
VI
RU
S
IS
GONE
AW
A
Y
YOU
CAN
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
L
E
A
VE
YO
UR
H
O
ME
YOU
CAN
L
E
A
VE
YO
UR
H
O
ME
GO
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
TO
SCH
OOL
YOU
CAN
L
E
A
VE
YO
UR
H
O
ME
AND
GO
T
O
PL
A
Y
WITH
TH
E
THERAPIST
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
S
OME
I
N
FORM
A
T
I
ON
FOR
Y
OU
De
a
r
p
a
rent
s
and caregivers
,
w
e
c
a
nnot
m
eet
y
ou
in
ou
r
c
lini
c
s
but
w
e
w
a
nt
to
suppo
r
t
y
o
u
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
With children, i
t
is
i
m
po
r
t
a
nt
not
to
deny
what
is
h
a
ppenin
g
,
but
b
e
c
a
reful
not
to
o
v
er
-
e
xpos
e
them
.
1
.
C
HOOSE
INFO
RM
A
T
I
ON
C
hildren
n
eed
C
L
EAR
a
nd
T
R
UE
info
r
m
a
tion,
filt
ered
by
a
g
e
,
so
that
they
ca
n
underst
a
n
d
.
I
t
is
i
m
po
r
t
a
nt
not
to
e
xpos
e
or
ov
er
-
e
xpos
e
c
hildren
to
i
m
a
g
es
a
nd
n
e
ws
that
a
re
not
suit
a
b
le
for
thei
r
l
e
v
el
of
underst
a
ndin
g
.
C
hoos
e
1-2
mo
m
ents
a
d
a
y
to
dedicate
TOG
ETH
ER
to
check the
n
e
ws
or
look
for
info
r
m
a
tion
on
the
w
e
b
,
in
order
to
e
xp
la
in
what
e
m
er
g
e
s
,
make
it
underst
a
n
d
a
b
le
,
a
nd
re
a
ssu
re
c
hildren
throu
g
h
a
re
a
listi
c
a
nd
posit
i
v
e
-
orient
ed
f
oc
u
s
.
Exp
la
in
to
c
hildren
that
th
ere
a
re
many
peop
le
de
a
lin
g
with
C
oron
a
vi
r
us
a
nd
hi
g
hli
g
ht
thes
e
a
sp
e
c
ts
when
they
e
m
er
g
e
on
T
V
a
nd
on
the
w
e
b
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
2
. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
Help
c
hildren
continue living as children:
they
should
p
l
a
y
,
t
a
lk
a
bout
fun
thing
s
,
do
thei
r
h
om
e
w
ork
a
nd
le
a
r
n
n
e
w
thing
s
.
C
hildren
n
eed
to
be
with
m
om
a
nd
d
a
d
and other
people they trust
without
seein
g
on
l
y
their
fri
g
hten
ed
a
nd
al
a
r
m
ed
f
a
c
e
s
.
R
e
m
e
m
b
er
that
c
hildren
are
s
m
a
ll
but
they
notice
your emotions and state of mind.
2
. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE
T
o
f
eel
saf
e
,
a
c
hild
needs
to
b
e
with
a
n
a
dult
ca
p
a
b
le
of
t
ra
ns
m
ittin
g
a
ff
ec
tion
a
nd
ma
st
e
r
y
. Self-control first.
C
hildren
noti
ce
adults’
in
c
onsisten
c
ies
. F
or
e
xam
p
le
,
if
y
ou
s
a
y
:
"
T
he
r
e
is
no
need
to
be
af
r
aid
"
,
but
y
ou
e
m
pty
sup
e
r
ma
rkets
sh
el
v
e
s
,
y
ou
ca
n
ca
us
e
c
onfusion
and t
h
e
c
hild
will
not
kn
o
w
wheth
er
to
t
r
ust
y
ou
.
T
r
us
t
is
essenti
a
l
to
g
i
v
e
s
ec
urit
y
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
2. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE
R
e
m
e
m
b
er
that
if
y
ou
can
not
c
alm
y
ourself
down
,
y
ou
c
a
nnot
make
y
ou
r
c
hild
feel safe
!
In
thes
e
c
a
s
e
s
,
seek
suppo
r
t
f
ro
m ano
th
er
fami
l
y
m
e
m
ber
,
th
e
c
om
m
unit
y
,
the n
et
w
ork
of
friends
or
refer to clinicians
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
R
ea
ssu
re
y
ou
r
students
with
posit
i
v
e
m
ess
a
g
es
of
e
m
otion
a
l
c
losenes
s
.
Us
e
the same
d
a
i
l
y
g
reetin
g
you would use
if
y
ou
w
ere
in
the
cla
s
s
room
.
Maintain
a
routin
e
e
v
en
for
th
e
y
oun
g
est
c
hildren
in
kinde
r
g
ar
d
e
n
:
G
ood
m
o
r
nin
g
a
nd
th
e
ca
len
dar
t
o
g
eth
e
r
,
send
pictures
or
y
ou
r
video
g
reetin
g
to
th
e
parents’
W
hat
sAp
p
group
.
P
ropose
cre
a
t
i
v
e
w
orks
to
do
a
t
h
o
m
e
.
R
ea
d
a
sto
r
y
for
th
e
m
.
DEAR
TEA
C
H
E
R
S
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
DEAR
TE
A
C
H
E
R
S
In
Primary and Secondary
School:
R
e
p
ea
t
s
ome
a
sp
ec
ts
of
s
c
h
ola
sti
c
routin
e
,
for
e
xam
p
le
give tasks
and
indi
ca
te
th
e
d
a
ys
of
th
e
w
eek
in
which
to
perfo
r
m
th
e
m
.
C
o
r
re
c
t
th
e
tasks
t
o
g
eth
er
in
th
e
vi
r
tu
a
l
cla
s
s
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
DEAR
TE
A
C
H
E
R
S
In
H
ig
h
S
c
ho
o
l
:
Use
th
e
w
eb
for
t
eac
hin
g
as well. S
end
m
ess
a
g
es
a
nd
video
m
ess
a
g
es
to
th
e
cla
ss
g
rou
p
,
g
i
v
e
a
ti
m
et
a
b
le
for
th
e
subj
e
c
t
s
.
Assig
n
reg
u
lar
l
y
s
c
heduled
tasks
a
nd
ask
students
to
send
feedb
ac
k
on
thei
r
w
ork.
C
o
r
rec
t
th
e
assignment
s
t
o
g
eth
er
in
th
e
vi
r
tu
a
l
cla
s
s
.
St
a
y
c
onn
e
c
t
ed
a
lso
with
an
ind
i
vidu
a
l
m
ess
a
g
e
for
each
student.
M
a
ybe
th
e
t
eac
hin
g
t
eam
ca
n
d
i
vi
de
th
e
students
in
order
to
maintain
a
pr
i
vi
le
g
ed
rela
tionship
c
h
a
nn
e
l
.
R
e
m
e
m
b
er
that
intens
e
and wide-ranging emotions
e
m
er
g
e
in
a
doles
c
en
ce
a
nd
th
ere
m
a
y
b
e
c
on
f
li
c
t
s
with
th
e
p
a
rent
s
.
H
a
vin
g
a
noth
er
a
dult
to
co
m
m
uni
ca
t
e
with
is
i
m
po
r
t
a
nt
!
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
E
v
en
if
w
e
are
f
ar
a
w
a
y
,
do
not
hesit
a
t
e
to
ask
us
for
suppo
r
t
for
y
ou
or
y
ou
r
c
hildre
n
.
A
l
e
ss
ia
I
nc
e
rt
i-Ma
r
t
ina
T
ar
ant
o
l
a-Fl
a
v
io
Cimo
r
e
ll
i
Parents, caregivers, teachers, and grandparents can help children understand the current situation using simple language and visual aids. It's important to explain complex topics like the coronavirus outbreak in a way that children can comprehend. Use AAC symbols and honest yet reassuring language to address their concerns and make them feel safe during these challenging times.
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CHILDREN NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING Tips for parents, caregivers, teachers, grandparents. What to say and how to say it Servizio Neuropsichiatria Infantile-Ambulatorio Trauma&EMDR Centro S.Maria al Castello Pessano c/B Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
TEXT BY Dr. ALESSIA INCERTI Psychologist, psychotherapist, Trauma & EMDR Outpatient Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Clinic center - Pessano C / B- Milan Italy D r. Martina T arantola Psychomotor therapist Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Clinic center - Pessano C / B- Milan Italy Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
What is happening? How to explain the situation to children that don't know or can't read. Use AAC symbols Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
What is happening? DEAR CHILDREN THESE ARE SOME SPECIALS DAYS YOU CANNOT GO TO SCHOOL YOU CANNOT GO TO PLAY WITH THE THERAPIST WHY NOT ? Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
COMING THE CORONAVIRUS. IN ITALY IS CORONAVIRUS MAKES PEOPLE SICK SEVERE COUGH AND WITH FEVER Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
il THE VIRUS HAS THE CROWN Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
SICK PEOPLE DOCTORS ARE TREATING TO HELP THEM WE HAVE STAYAT HOME! BUT TO Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
IS A BIT BORING STAYING HOME THERE ARE FUN GAMES TO DO BUT MANY WITH MUMMY AND DADDY Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
GONE AWAY WHEN CORONAVIRUS IS YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HOME Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HOME GO TO SCHOOL Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HOME TO PLAY AND GO WITH THE THERAPIST Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
Dear parentsand caregivers, we cannot meet you in our clinics but we want to support you. With children, it is important not to deny what is happening, but be careful not to over-expose them. SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
1. CHOOSE INFORMATION Children need CLEAR and TRUE information, filtered by age, so that they can understand. It is important not to expose or over-expose children to images and news that are not suitable for their level of understanding. Choose 1-2 moments a day to dedicate TOGETHER to check the news or look for information on the web, in order to explain what emerges, make it understandable, and reassure children through a realistic and positive-oriented focus. Explain to children that there are many people dealing with Coronavirus and highlight these aspects when they emerge on TV and on the web. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
2. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE Help children continue living as children: they should play , talk about fun things, do their homework and learn new things. Children need to be with mom and dad and other people they trust without seeing only their frightened and alarmed faces. Remember that children are small but they notice youremotionsand stateof mind. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
2. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE To feel safe, a child needs to be with an adult capable of transmitting affection and mastery . Self-control first. C hildren notice adults inconsistencies. For example, if you say: "There is no need to be afraid", but you empty supermarkets shelves, you can cause confusion and the child will not know whether to trust you. Trust is essential to give security . Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
2. MAKE CHILDREN FEEL SAFE Remember that if you cannot calm yourself down, you cannot make your child feel safe! In these cases, seek support from another family member, the community , the network of friends or refer to clinicians. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
DEAR TEACHERS Reassure your students with positive messages of emotional closeness. Use the same daily greeting you would use if you were in the classroom. Maintain a routine even for the youngest children in kindergarden: G ood morning and the calendar together, send pictures or your video greeting to the parents WhatsApp group. P ropose creative works to do at home. Read a story for them. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
DEAR TEACHERS In Primary and Secondary School: Repeat some aspects of scholastic routine, for example give tasks and indicate the days of the week in which to perform them. Correct the tasks together in the virtual class. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
DEAR TEACHERS In High School: Use the web for teaching as well. Send messages and video messages to the class group, give a timetable for the subjects. Assign regularly scheduled tasks and ask students to send feedback on their work. Correct the assignments together in the virtual class. Stay connected also with an individual message for each student. Maybe the teaching team can divide the students in order to maintain a privileged relationship channel. Remember that intense and wide-ranging emotions emerge in adolescence and there may be conflicts with the parents. Having another adult to communicate with is important! Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
Even if we are far away , do not hesitate to ask us for support for you or your children. Alessia Incerti-Martina Tarantola-Flavio Cimorelli
