69传媒

Student Well-Being

69传媒 Address Health Concerns of Evacuated 69传媒

By Vaishali Honawar 鈥 September 13, 2005 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

In the first two days of the school year in Dallas, Rosemary Allen has witnessed a gamut of emotions among children displaced by Hurricane Katrina: older students crying as they board the bus to school; some who are reluctant to talk in class; and others who seem happier keeping to themselves.

鈥淭hey have been through an awful lot,鈥 said the 159,000-student district鈥檚 associate superintendent for student services. 鈥淢aybe they are concerned and anxious about separating from their parents at this point, and that鈥檚 understandable.鈥

Even some parents are reluctant to send their children to school because of fears of separation, she added.

See Also

View an updated collection of outreach resources from state and national agencies,

Hurricane Relief: Outreach From National Organizations

Join our ongoing discussion,

Around the country, districts that have seen their enrollments swell in the aftermath of the hurricane are addressing the physical and mental-health needs of the student evacuees in addition to meeting their educational needs.

Psychologists say children who have lived through a traumatizing event of the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina could exhibit conditions such as anxiety and fearfulness, difficulty with sleeping, extreme fatigue, irritability, and stomachaches and headaches.

鈥淲hen children are having severe anxiety and fearfulness, we want to make every effort to listen to them, to reassure them, give them help and support,鈥 said Ted Feinberg, the assistant director of the Bethesda, Md.-based National School Psychologists Association. The group recommends that teachers provide opportunities for the evacuee children to share their concerns, but not to force discussion.

Ill Effects

On the physical-health front, several states have temporarily waived immunization requirements for displaced students and are offering free tetanus shots at health clinics to adults and children exposed to floodwaters. The potential hazards were underscored late last week by reports that some people exposed to the fetid waters in New Orleans were experiencing health problems.

鈥淲e are just accepting any health records they have, or we are going on the word of parents,鈥 said Susan Underwood, the coordinator of homeless programs for the Arkansas education department. 鈥淲e will deal with the information later.鈥

The state has so far received more than 1,000 students displaced by the storm.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta says on its Web site that outbreaks of infectious diseases following hurricanes are rare in developed countries. Among children, as among adults, possible effects include diarrhea and dysentery, said CDC spokeswoman Bernadette Burden, adding that officials are closely monitoring shelters housing the evacuees.

On Sept. 7, the federal Environment Protection Agency warned of high levels of E. coli bacteria, which can cause severe diarrhea and other diseases, in flooded areas in New Orleans. But in areas aiding displaced residents, health officials sought to reassure residents by saying that those coming in from flooded regions did not pose a health risk, and noting that there had been no major outbreaks of disease other than scattered reports of diarrheal illnesses.

In the Dallas school district, which had enrolled 300 students staying in shelters but hundreds more who are living with relatives or friends, students were screened for dysentery on the first two days of school, and eight students had to be pulled out for treatment, Ms. Allen said.

Stretched Thin

Experts warn that dealing with student evacuees鈥 emotional needs is a long-term issue that will be a particular challenge because of the lack of resources in most affected school districts.

鈥淭his is going to be a big planning problem,鈥 said Howard Adelman, a professor of psychology and the co-director of the School Mental Health Project at the University of California, Los Angeles. He said that besides responding to students鈥 emotional needs, schools must plan for engaging the newcomers and for placing students who qualify for special education. It is also not uncommon for students who have gone through a traumatizing event to develop learning disorders, he said.

鈥淭here is going to have to be a plan to identify kids who have delayed reactions,鈥 he said.

Lupita Garcia, the director of parent and student services for the 30,000-student Irving, Texas, district, said the district had enrolled 126 displaced students as of late last week. District officials were using motivational speakers and organizing group discussion sessions for families displaced by the storm, she said.

鈥淚t is key for us to keep in mind that many of these adults have their own issues to deal with鈥攖heir dreams, their losses,鈥 Ms. Garcia said. 鈥淭hey are not able to help the children emotionally because they are dealing with a lot of their own issues.鈥

A version of this article appeared in the September 14, 2005 edition of Education Week as 69传媒 Address Health Concerns of Evacuated 69传媒

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Student Well-Being Student Journalists Want to Cover Politics. Not Everyone Agrees They Should
Student journalists are grappling with controversial topics鈥攁 lesson in democracy that's becoming increasingly at risk for pushback.
7 min read
Illustration of a paper airplane made from a newspaper.
DigitalVision Vectors
Student Well-Being Opinion 3 Things You Need to Know About Absenteeism
We studied the data from more than 1.5 million students. Here鈥檚 are some overlooked insights to boost attendance.
Todd Rogers, Emily Bailard & Mikia Manley
4 min read
Scattered school desks seen from above, some with red x's on them signifying absences.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and iStock/Getty Images
Student Well-Being SEL Has Become Politicized. 69传媒 Are Embracing It Anyway
Eighty-three percent of principals report that their schools use an SEL curriculum or program.
5 min read
Image of positive movement when attending to a student's well-being is a component.
Dmitrii_Guzhanin/iStock/Getty and Laura Baker/Education Week
Student Well-Being 69传媒 Don't Want to Talk About Politics, Either
The election is occurring at a time when many schools are discouraged from having tough conversations in class.
6 min read
Viewers gather to watch a debate between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Angry Elephant Bar and Grill, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in San Antonio.
Viewers gather to watch a debate between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Angry Elephant Bar and Grill, Sept. 10, 2024, in San Antonio. Researchers say students are more reluctant to talk politics this election cycle.
Eric Gay/AP