Expert’s suggest ways of dealing with traumatic stress,after school fire
By: Melanie Aanyu
Experts have suggested ways of coping with traumatic stress for survivors of a fire that killed 11 children at Salama School for the Blind in Mukono District on Monday.
Dr Ali Male, a counsellor at A-Z Professional Counselling Support Centre, yesterday said the affected children need a lot of progressive relaxation of all their body parts as well as intense counselling to overcome fear and panic to prevent post-stress disorder.
Dr Male suggested that the school breaks off for some days to allow learners ample time to relax and recover.
The school management is also advised to engage the children in their colleagues’ burial arrangements to enable them complete the stages of grief.
Other experts suggest school administrators and staff too must be counselled since they are going through trauma, including individual anger outbursts, guilt, anxiety attacks, low moods, isolation, and harbouring suicidal thoughts.
