Accidents happen in life, but that doesn’t mean they are something we should accept. When it comes to children, accidents can cause long-lasting trauma. Both parents and children need to know how to react when an accident happens. Whether it be a medical or emotional injury, here are some ways you can help your child recover from the effects of an accident.
Allow Them to Talk Freely About Their Feelings
The best thing you can do for your child after an accident is to talk about their feelings. Let them know it’s okay to talk about what happened and how they feel. If your child feels scared or anxious about it happening again, let them know you are there to help them however they need it.
Ensure They Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation is as equally as bad as your child suffering from a physical injury. A lack of sleep can affect an individual’s memory, cognition, and mood. Moreover, it can also cause mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. So how does this relate to the recovery process? If your child has been injured and is suffering from a lack of sleep, give them time and space to calm down and recover. It might mean some changes to their usual sleeping pattern but they need to let their body rest so it can recover from the trauma.
Give Them Space to Process Their Accident
Every child will react differently to an accident. Some children will handle the situation well, while others may not. It’s essential to give your child space when trying to process the accident.
Give them time to feel their emotions instead of trying to fix them right away. Let them cry, scream, or show any other emotion they need to feel better. Don’t try to use logic or reasoning with them at that moment because they won’t be in a logical state of mind.
Establishing trust is essential when it comes to healing from trauma. Talk about their injury, so they know you are there for them. Make sure your child knows you are there for them by being supportive and understanding without being too nosy about the details of how it happened or what they saw happen.
Get Them Care For Any Pain They May Have
When your child is recovering from an accident, they will likely experience pain. Depending on the severity of the accident and damage sustained; this can be as simple as giving them over-the-counter pain relief.
In some cases, your pediatrician may refer you for further treatment and support for long-term recoveries. Outside of this, you can consider supplemental therapies to support their recovery, such as visiting a Pediatric Chiropractor.
Encourage Returning to Normal Routines
Allowing your child to return to their routine is an excellent way to recover. Of course, if the accident has caused some emotional trauma, this might not be the best course of action. But for most accidents, children must get back into their school or extracurricular activities as soon as possible. This will help them feel like they are living their life again and not just focusing on what happened in the past.
