Battlefield children may be mentally scarred, says psychologist
Published:Saturday | May 29, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Laura Redpath & Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporters
Children in Tivoli Gardens and other Kingston communities could be psychologically scarred by days of gun battles, a clinical psychologist told The Gleaner on Tuesday. Dr Karen Richards said children struggling to come to grips with the graphic violence suffer from behavioural shifts.
She also said they may become fearful and angry.
"The children could have brief emotional and behavioural problems, which is normal. They could start having disturbed sleeping patterns, changes in appetite, clingy attitudes, and they could even go back to behaviour that is younger than their ages," Richards said.
Regressive behaviours among grown children, such as bed-wetting, crying and thumb-sucking could become commonplace in battlefield communities.
The outbreak of violence across the western end of Jamaica's capital was sparked by an assault on Tivoli Gardens, as the security forces sought to arrest Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, a reputed Mafioso who the United States wants extradited to face gunrunning and drug-trafficking charges.
Security personnel conducted house-to-house searches to purge the community of thugs who barricaded the accused don's mini-republic.
Dozens of civilians, including alleged enemy combatants, have been slain.
Richards said parents and other family members in Tivoli Gardens and surrounding communities may be having a hard time explaining the gravity of the situation to children.
She also said the events which unfolded may also result in increased levels of aggressiveness.
Confusion
Richards noted that the exchange of gunfire between thugs and the security forces could cause children to have a sense of confusion about the ligitimacy of the symbols of law and order, leading children to become fearful of the police.
"I wonder if some of those children will begin to see armed forces as the bad guys," Richards said. "The parents, in dealing with the situation, should explain who is the protector and the threat," she said.
"I've come across children who come from some really difficult communities that are exposed to gunfire all the time and police raids, and they've become very frightened of the police."
Hostile relationship
Tivoli Gardens has had a hostile relationship with the security forces for decades, as gunmen have used the densely populated area as a base from which to launch attacks - against lawmen and rival gangs - even from high-rise buildings.
Michelle Robinson, a counselling psychologist, said parents should be first counselled about coping with the situation before helping their children.
Robinson added that schools and parent-teacher associations should join forces to assist parents in comforting children.
Richards also urged parents to give children time to heal; limit their access to gratuitous information; monitor television-viewing time; and seek intervention from other family members.