Orange County Student Mental Health

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Childhood Traumatic Grief: Information for Parents and Caregivers

Source: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Resource Type: Website or Webpage Article

Audience(s): Families

Children of all ages grieve after the death of a family member, friend, or other important person. Grieving children can show a range of emotions and reactions. Sometimes they appear sad and talk about missing the person. Other times they play, interact with friends, and do their usual activities. In addition to intense sadness, children may show changes in behavior (e.g., be less interested in usual activities, be irritable, have changes in sleeping or eating), changes in their social interactions (e.g., be more withdrawn), and/or question their faith. When adjusting to the loss, children typically are able to participate in “tasks” considered helpful to the grieving process:

  • Understanding the person cannot come back
  • Coping with feelings about the person and the death
  • Adjusting to changes in life without the person
  • Talking about memories and what that person meant to them
  • Committing to relationships with new people
  • Continuing on a healthy developmental path