Common Grief Reactions
of Children/Teens

Physical Reactions

• Loss of appetite
• Increased appetite
  
• Difficulty falling asleep
  
• Difficulty staying asleep
  
• Nightmare and night terrors
  
• Bedwetting
  
• Reappearance of toileting accidents
  
• Stomachaches (especially before or during school)
  
• Headaches
  
• Fatigue
  
• Frequent colds of other physical illnesses
  
  
  
  

Emotional Reactions

• Irritability
• Mood swings
  
• Marked changes in behavior (either for the better or worse)
  
• Panic (an overwhelming sense of fear or danger to self or others)
  
• Increase or decrease of activity (from hyper or hypoactivity)
  
• Avoiding family and friends (from detachment)
  
  
  
  

Mental Reactions

• Shorter attention span
• Short term memory loss
  
• Difficulty concentrating
  
• Distractedness
  
• Preoccupation with the loss
  
  
  
  

Social Reactions

Linda Lehmann, M.A., L.P., copyright, 1997

Needs of Grieving
Children and Teens

Grieving children need language

Grieving children need the facts

Grieving children need role models around grief

Grieving children need permission to grieve

Grieving children need to grieve in small doses

Grieving children need different vehicles to express their grief

Grieving children need stability

Grieving children need validation

Grieving children need to grieve in their own time

Grieving children need to be children

Grieving children need the presence of caring adults in their lives

Linda Lehmann, M.A., L.P., copyright, 1997

Whispering Willow

507-251-6768

Email: whisperingwillow@kmtel.com

65064 250th Ave., Kasson, MN 55944