Injuries happen in the most unexpected ways. Thousands of children fall victims of injuries ranging in severity.
Most parents will focus on helping them recuperate physically. While it’s essential to tend to their physical injuries, it’s equally important for parents to remember emotional reactions and trauma are also involved.
It can get frightening to your child who is still fragile and tender. Here’s how to help them heal after an injury crisis.
Engage Your Child
After an injury, your child may suffer in silence, especially when developing new fears and worries. It’s easy to ignore their emotional reactions to the accident leading to the injury since they’re invisible.
It’s your responsibility as a parent to bring the child on board and be the listening ear. Let them know you’re there for them, and it’s okay to talk about things that remind them of the injury.
You may also want to seek additional professional help such as behavior therapy in New Jersey to help understand their needs and desires more after an injury.
Slowly Help Them Slide Back to Regular Routines
Injuries tend to cause a derailment, especially if it affects their mobility. To promote healing, help your child slide back into normal routines such as getting adequate sleep, eating regular and balanced meals, encouraging physical activity, and being active even in school work.
Be present to support them through the recovery process and assure them they can still have their lives back even after an injury. This will make it much easier to transition back to normal life after they have fully recovered.
It will also give them peace of mind their injury doesn’t need to be a hindrance to anything in their life.
Rebuild Trust and Safety
Trauma profoundly alters how the affected child sees the world. They may start to view the world as more dangerous.
You might want to help them rebuild the trust and safety around the environment.
Things like minimizing stress at home, fixing items that caused the injury, engaging them about plans, and keeping your promises will help rebuild the trust.
Help them overcome any new beliefs they might have about the dangers of everyday life.
Let them know what they experienced was just an accident and isn’t the norm.
Create a Haven
Other family members are expected to have different reactions to your child’s injury. Ask your children to be tender with the affected child. Ensure everyone in the family is helping the traumatized child get back on their feet instead of isolating themselves.
Everyone will deal with the injury differently, but it’s important to offer support to the child as a family. That’s where genuine love and care is about.
Make your home a comfortable place for them. If you need to make any alterations for accessibility in your home, consider making those changes as well.
In this case, the affected child’s emotions are the most delicate. It’s advisable every move you make considers them first before anything else.
If your child is involved in sports, the ongoing threat of an injury that may harm your child may keep you on edge. It’s important to learn what strategies you can implement to keep your athletic child injury-free.
