Announcing the death of parents in cases of child earthquake victims

Abstract

Death is a challenging event even for adults, and when it comes to children, understanding death and coping with the absence of a loved one can be extremely difficult. The death of a parent is one of the most painful experiences a child can go through. How children perceive death and their reactions vary depending on their age. What parents and other loved ones fear the most is how to deliver the news of death to a child. Besides how to deliver the news, the timing of such news is also a critical consideration.In the aftermath of a major earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on February 6.2023 a case is presented where a child was trapped under rubble and lost their mother.

Introduction

The death of a parent can be one of the most painful experiences for children, and in some cases, coping with death can become an overwhelming issue. Grief expresses the adaptive responses of individuals facing a loss situation due to death (1).

A child's coping skills following loss and grief may vary depending on factors, such as the child's age, their reactions to death, whether they have a surviving parent, their emotional closeness and communication with the surviving parent, material changes in the child's life following the death, and the circumstances of the death itself (2).

The death of a parent or parents is one of the painful life experiences for children, and in some cases, coping with death can become a challenging issue. Grief represents the adaptive responses of individuals facing a loss situation due to death (1).

Children's fear of death focuses not on the existential consequences of death that adults often contemplate but rather on the idea of being separated from their parents and loved ones (3).

The event that parents and loved ones fear the most is how to deliver the news of death to a child. It is critical not to act as if nothing has happened in front of the child. At the same time, excessive crying, throwing oneself on the ground, and displaying uncontrolled reactions are also among the things that the child should not witness (3).

After the earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 that occurred on February 6, 2023, centered in Kahramanmaraş, 10 provinces in our country were affected, and approximately 13.5 million people were impacted. These earthquakes resulted in over 40,000 casualties (4). Initially, the injured, including children, were transferred to various hospitals across the country for continued medical treatment. Our hospital was selected as a pilot hospital during this process.

In addition to providing physical treatments for children affected by the earthquake, our Department of Pediatrics also conducted assessments in collaboration with social services and child psychiatry to offer psychological support for coping with the earthquake and the losses experienced afterward, including parents, friends, relatives, limbs, homes, neighborhoods, etc. A case of a 10-year-old who was brought to our hospital after being trapped under debris following the earthquake and losing a first-degree relative is presented.

Case Report

A 10-year-old male patient, after being trapped under debris for 48 hours during the earthquake in Hatay, was sent to our hospital due to multiple lower extremity injuries. Treatment plans were arranged after consulting with the orthopedics, pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery units. Because he had to be sent from his place of residence to a distant facility, hospital staff accompanied him until his uncle arrived.

During his hospital stay, it was observed that the patient inquired about his mother and expressed curiosity about their whereabouts. He made statements. For example, "When will she come back?" and "You're hiding something from me!" It was revealed that the patient's uncle, who was also affected by the same earthquake, began accompanying the patient after completing his own treatment. It was learned that the patient had lost his father in a traffic accident two years ago. The patient was evaluated in collaboration with child psychiatry and social services.

During this process, it was decided that delivering the news of his mother's death to the child by his uncle, who was the closest relative present in a safe environment, without delay, would be more appropriate. The patient received the news of his parent's death from his uncle. Following this process, the patient experienced crying fits that began on the same day, refusal to eat, difficulty sleeping, difficulty maintaining sleep, and refusal to speak, communicating only with specific individuals. Psychosocial support and psychiatric medical treatment support were provided by the pediatric clinic and child psychiatry.

Discussion

A 10-year-old male patient, after being trapped under debris for 48 hours during the earthquake in Hatay, was sent to our hospital due to multiple lower extremity injuries. Treatment plans were arranged after consulting with the orthopedics, pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery units. Because he had to be sent from his place of residence to a distant facility, hospital staff accompanied him until his uncle arrived.

During his hospital stay, it was observed that the patient inquired about his mother and expressed curiosity about their whereabouts. He made statements. For example, "When will she come back?" and "You're hiding something from me!" It was revealed that the patient's uncle, who was also affected by the same earthquake, began accompanying the patient after completing his own treatment. It was learned that the patient had lost his father in a traffic accident two years ago. The patient was evaluated in collaboration with child psychiatry and social services.

During this process, it was decided that delivering the news of his mother's death to the child by his uncle, who was the closest relative present in a safe environment, without delay, would be more appropriate. The patient received the news of his parent's death from his uncle. Following this process, the patient experienced crying fits that began on the same day, refusal to eat, difficulty sleeping, difficulty maintaining sleep, and refusal to speak, communicating only with specific individuals. Psychosocial support and psychiatric medical treatment support were provided by the pediatric clinic and child psychiatry.

Cite this article as: Bayrak O, Zamur E, Asci B, Yildirim S, Ince G, Uzum O, et al. Announcing the death of parents in cases of child earthquake victims. Pediatr Acad Case Rep. 2023;2(supp1):12-4.

The parents’ of this patient consent was obtained for this study.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.

References

1. 1.Bildik T. Ölüm, Kayıp, Yas ve Patolojik Yas. Ege Tıp Dergisi 2013; 4(52): 223-229.
2. Ebeveyn Kaybi Yasamış Çocukları Destekleme Rehberi. 2021 Aile ve Sosyal Hizmetler Bakanlığı, 27-65.
3. Kıvılcım M, Doğan DG. Çocuk ve Ölüm. Turgut Özal Tıp Dergisi 2014; 21(1): 80-85.
4. Kahramanmaraş’ta Meydana Gelen Depremler Hk.–34. Avaliable from (01.09.2023); https://www.afad.gov.tr/kahramanmarasta-meydana-gelen-depremler-hk-34
5. Kastenbaum R, Aisenberg R. (1976) The Psychology of Death. New York, Springer Publishing Company: 9-10.
6. Çocukluk dönemi dil gelişimi için bkz. Donald Ratcliff, “The Cognitive Development of Preschoolers,” Handbook of Preschool Religious Education, ed. Donald Ratcliff, Birmingham, Alabama: Religious Education Press, 1988, ss. 24-25; Charlotte Wallinga ve Patsy Skeen, “Physical, Language, and Social-Emotional Development,” Handbook of Preschool Religious Education, ed. Donald Ratcliff, Birmingham, Alabama: Religious Education Press, 1988, s. 33; Valerie Wilson, “Infant and Preschoolers,” Christian Education: Foundations for the Future, ed. Robert E. Clark, L
7. Köseoğlu S, Yıldız Y. Tek Ebeveynli Çocukların Yaşam Deneyimleri. HAYEF: Journal of Education 2018; 15(2): 80-98.
8. Arslan BŞ, Buldukoğlu K. Yasın Aile Üzerine Etkilerini Azaltmak İçin Uygulanan Yas Destek Programları. Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar 2019; 11(3): 402-407.