Fear of nuclear war in children: how to deal with it

Jillian Amodio decided to tell the truth when her ten-year-old daughter asked her some specific questions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“When he asked me what nuclear weapons were, I explained in a simple way that they were explosives used in warfare capable of releasing a huge amount of energy and causing a lot of destruction and damage”counted lovefrom Annapolis, Marylandand founder of a support group called Mothers for Mental Health.

His daughter still had more questions. “I wanted to know if we were in danger of being hit by nuclear weapons,” Amodio said. “I explained to him that the leaders of the world have a responsibility to prevent a nuclear war and that we already know from past experience how destructive a nuclear war can be.”.

Amodio did what many parents and experts recommend: he told the truth, although from elements that he knew his daughter could assimilate.

The day Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces to be placed on high alert last month was a rough day for many parents with curious children.

On social media, in classrooms, and in parks, kids who hear about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine wonder how far this war can go. It is as if a child had been born during the Cold Warwhen there was also talk of a nuclear conflict, radiation and the atomic bomb.

Unlike in the past, however, kids today have much more unrestricted access to images, videos, and information, as well as tons of misinformation. They also have loved ones with personal experiences related to times of nuclear tension.

“With younger children you have to talk in a simple way and avoid dealing in detail with topics that can generate fear. With teenagers, honesty is the best policy. Always be transparenthe pointed Beth Ollerfamily doctor of Stockton, Kansas and mother of four children, ages two to nine. “Try to reassure them”.

Fear of nuclear devastation can lead to lifelong trauma, according to Nathaniel N Iverscounseling teacher at Wake Forest University. During the Cold War, studies indicated that vulnerable populations, including children and those who care for them, feel more fear and anxiety about the nuclear threat than the rest of the population.

And that parents who show greater anxiety about the nuclear threat, “they tended to have children who were themselves more anxious about nuclear bombs”.

The threat of a nuclear detonation — as in the case of the missile crisis in Cuba— can generate in children a deep awareness of death and vulnerability. “The boys know that there is very little they could do to protect themselves if a nuclear bomb goes off in their area”Ivers stated. “It can also create a sense of nihilism, especially in older kids and teenagers”.

henry-williamsdigital designer of brooklyn, turned to a movie when his 11-year-old son asked him questions about nuclear weapons and war. But she did not resort to “The Hunt for Red October” (The Hunt for Red October) nor to “Nuclear Panic” (The Sum of All Fears, also known as The Sum of All Fears), another story in the Jack Ryan series about a sinister plot to bring United States already Russia to one Third World war.

Williams appealed to “Threads” (Threads) a post-apocalyptic story about a couple after a nuclear explosion. The film, full of very realistic horrific situations, was made for the English BBC and released in 1984. It now has a group of loyal fans.

Williams was at home in the United Kingdom during a vacation with his children when the war broke out in Ukraine.

“We had the BBC news on all day. That raised concerns.”he recounted. “It’s a much more realistic film. What really happens”.

His 11-year-old son didn’t seem very moved, Williams said. The youngest, five, did not see the tape, but he had a very simple question: “So, will we all die?”.

The father replied: “Yes, but that is unlikely. I had in my head the idea that this could happen, which seemed incredible to me. But still he wasn’t scared. I told him we’d be there with him if that happened and I think that calmed him down.”.

Jessica Griffinchild psychologist and executive director of Center for Childhood Trauma Treatment at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medicine Schoolbased in Worcester, Mass.said it’s important to make sure kids aren’t overwhelmed by fear or the news.

“Boys can be encouraged to ask questions, but also to continue with their routines at school and at home”he stated. “Routines send signals to the brain and let it know that everything is fine, reassuring them in tense situations”.

When Putin ordered a state of alert for his nuclear forces, Ricardo Groll was frank with his nine- and 12-year-old daughters.

“I decided to explain to them what ‘nuclear’ meant and how it could affect people in Europe”, said Groll from the city of Novo Hamburgo in southern Brazil. The youngest of his daughters asked him: “Daddy, is that man bad? Is he going to hurt our family? How?”.

“As I always do with my daughters, I told them the truth”Groll noted. “Now I’m sure that if someone asks Giovanna what a nuclear weapon is, she will answer: ‘It’s a bomb that can destroy the world.’ She doesn’t seem to be traumatized by my direct explanation, although I must confess that I don’t know if she really understands what ‘destroy the world’ means..

Things are different with the boys who have already experienced the war. “If a child carries a trauma, seeing disturbing images can aggravate anxiety and require more support, “warned Griffin.