Thousands of Fani-hit kids in trauma, hundreds of volunteers on counseling duty

BHUBANESHWAR: Ten-year-old Visakha Rao can still hear the wind howl in her sleep. When she does, she clutches a pillow for comfort. While a few months ago, her face would light up at the sight of the Puri beach, now even the mention of it sends a shiver down her spine. Like Visakha, thousands of children in Odisha are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) more than a month after cyclonic storm Fani hit the state on May 3. In Puri, where the cyclone made landfall and damage was the greatest, more than 10,000 children below 17 years of age are undergoing psychosocial counselling after they started showing symptoms ranging from anxiety and stress to insomnia.boxcontentWhat is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? It is a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing itSymptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxietyFor those experiencing PTSD, temporary difficulty adjusting and coping are commonExperts have warned that it might take a long time for an entire generation to overcome the mental trauma they have suffered in the aftermath of Fani which claimed 64 lives. At least 300 counselors from six non-profit organisations — aided by the government — have set up temporary centres in Puri alone to provide mental health intervention to affected children.While much of the infrastructure damaged by Fani is being rebuilt and those displaced have returned home, memories of the raging storm still haunt them. large69753370“We were without food, power and water for several days. I never want to live through that again,” Soumendra, a 12-year-old boy who has been undergoing counselling, told TOI. Having come face-to-face with the monstrosity of the sea, he is scared to venture out alone. “I feel safe here. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore disturbs me,” he said. It is this fear that gives Soumendra sleepless nights, a common symptom of PTSD.“Children with PTSD fear that they would have to go through the same experience. If the anxiety persists for a prolonged period, they may slip into acute depression,” Suvendu Mishra, general secretary of Indian Psychiatric Society (Odisha state branch), said. Mishra added that around 35% to 40% of the children in affected areas showed such symptoms and it may take anything between three and six months to fully recover. medium69757158The fact that children are at risk of poor mental health in the aftermath of traumatic events such as a natural disaster is well documented in international research. A special issue of the European Journal of Psychotraumatology released in 2018 cited that up to 43% of such children could experience PTSD and many could suffer from depression, anxiety or other mental health disturbances. In Odisha, counsellors are engaging children in a variety of activities to keep their minds relaxed while medication is being administered to those with symptoms of acute depression. Minati Pradhan, a counselor from Humara Bachpan Trust (HBT), an NGO, said, “We found that children, particularly in the age group of 8 to 10 years, had developed stress disorder after Fani. They lacked the zeal to play, sing and dance. Initially, we found it difficult to bring them back on their feet. But they are slowly recuperating.”Dharitri Patnaik, founder of HBT, said they have set up childcare and support centres called ‘Sambhavi Gruhas’ in 20 Fani-affected slums in Puri. Unicef India has also started Sneha Sampark, a campaign in Puri, to help the children. “We launched the 45-day campaign a week after Fani. Unicef India along with an NGO has engaged around 500 volunteers to offer psychosocial counselling in Puri, Kanas, Brahmagiri and Krushaprasad areas,” said Alka Gupta, communications specialist of Unicef India’s Odisha team. medium69757601Mihir Ranjan Nayak, associate professor of psychiatry, SCB Medical College in Cuttack, estimated that at least 50,000 children would be experiencing stress disorders in Puri, Cuttack, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada. Many parents are worried. Padmini Reddy, mother of 11-year-old Keshu, from Penthakata village in Puri, said, “My daughter was inconsolable ever since the storm destroyed her books and toys. That was her little world. I hope she can get back to her usual, chirpy self soon.”Untitled Carousel 69268740