East County News Service

October 19, 2018 (San Diego) - In the days and weeks following a high-profile tragedy, violent confrontations, mass shootings, or natural disasters, news stories may cause stress and anxiety for the younger audience. It is normal for adults and kids to feel anxious after a devastating event, but there are ways to help minimize the stress and maintain a sense of normalcy.

“With the pervasiveness and invasiveness of TV news and social media, children today have more access to disturbing news and images than ever before. The most common reason I’m seeing for children being referred to therapy (even as young as 4) in the last several years is excessive, and sometimes debilitating, anxiety,” said Susan Kelsey, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist specializing in mental health services for children and adolescents.

Here are a few suggestions for parents to help reduce their child’s risk of becoming overly anxious during trying times:

• Forty-nine headless corpses found in Mexico (Reuters)
• Merkel’s conservative party routed in Germany (Reuters)
• France’s “Monsieur Normal” takes office…unmarried (NBC)
• Surfer recognized for riding biggest wave ever (Los Angeles Times-video)
  
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has explosive family secret (Business Insider)
• One in six cancers worldwide are caused by infections (BBC)

• Gouged by the wind: Renewable fuel mandates are raising electricity costs  (Wall Street Journal)
• Court rejects Iraq-Afghanistan veterans demand for better VA care
• Navy to demonstrate great green fleet (10 News)
• Bush convicted of war crimes in absentia (Foreign Policy Journal)
• The unbelievable brutality released on kids in for-profit prison (Alternet)
• Humane Society calls for reform of federal wildlife agency (Sacramento Bee)
• The killing agency:  wildlife services’ brutal methods leaves a trail of animal deaths (Sacramento Bee)
• Game over for the climate (New York Times)