Strategies To Assist Parents Manage Children’s Worries Over The H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

Acknowledging children’s concerns and reinforcing children’s coping are two key strategies to assist parents in managing their children’s worries over the H1N1 flu (swine flu), reports the Australian Psychological Society (APS). Professor Bob Montgomery, President of the APS says, “At this stage, many children are aware of the threat of the flu outbreak from conversations amongst peers, the local community, from overhearing adult conversations, or from daily updates in the media. Parents have an important role to play not only in helping their children to understand and follow the Government health warnings and advice, but also to help calm their children by acknowledging their concerns and by reinforcing their children’s coping. Worries and anxieties about threats such as swine flu can become difficult for children of all ages to deal with”.

Acknowledging children’s concerns

Some simple steps for parents include: 

- Acknowledging children’s concerns and worries. Given the current worldwide attention and Australia wide concerns over the H1N1 flu, it is understandable that children are anxious about what is taking place and how it might affect them. 

- Listening closely to children’s concerns. Are they looking for factual information, or are the questions expressing anxiety? 

- Responding to any obvious items of misinformation that they have picked up and help them to make sense of information or sort out truth from fiction. It can be very helpful to provide facts in these circumstances. 

- Reinforcing the recommended government health practices to reduce the likelihood of contracting swine flu. 

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