ABSTRACT
The short-term emotional effects of a disaster–fear, acute anxiety, feelings of emotional numbness, and grief–may be obvious. For some survivors, these feelings fade with time. Certain emotional effects of a disaster may not appear until after a considerable delay. For some survivors, initial relief at having been rescued and initial optimism about the prospects of recovery may produce a "honeymoon stage." Over a period of months or even years, this may give way to a realization that personal and material losses are irreversible. Children manifest a vast array of symptoms following a disaster. Often they are unable to put feelings into words, so their grief and loss are revealed in their behavior. For the most part, the same principles that apply to adults apply to children, with appropriate adaptations for their age. Regressive behaviors, such as bed-wetting, should be accepted initially.
