Issues
"It's an odd feeling," said Papa. "You live in a country all your life. Then suddenly it is taken over by thugs and there you are, on your own in a strange place, with nothing." When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Children and adolescents are the innocent victims of war and conflict. Fortunately, most youth living in America have never experienced war first-hand. The closest they have come to this type of violence is the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. However, images of war and violence in the media may cause youth to develop stress as they witness destruction, death, and the plight of refugees. Through discussions, adults can help teens balance war with the "many traditional ethical values, such as "do not kill" and "love your fellow man" (Ajdukovic 210). Librarians and media specialists are in a unique position to help teens cope with the stress, tension, and uncertainty of war and conflict by providing them access to information and books about these occurrences. In extreme cases of stress, students should be referred to guidance counselors and mental health professionals.
Youth undergoing stress may show physical, behavioral, and emotional symptoms. However, children and youth often react differently to stress even under the same circumstances. Children of soldiers are under additional stress because of their parent's physical absence and proximity to danger. Because many of the military personnel fighting in Gulf War II are reservists and "weekend warriors," these children may face additional stress because they are unused to the realities of military life. In addition, these families may not have access to the supportive networks that fulltime military families living near or on a base have. Physical symptoms of stress include upset stomach, lack of coordination, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat and breathing, dizziness, lack of energy, muscle aches and pains, headaches, and skin problems. Behavioral symptoms of stress include increased school absences, lack of emotional responsiveness, disrespect for others, substance abuse, increased risk-taking, reduced interest in previously enjoyed activities, avoidance of activities that remind the teen of the event, isolation or withdrawal, and hypervigilance. Emotional symptoms of stress include anxiety, fear, guilt, sadness, irritability, withdrawal, helplessness, worry about others, and exaggerated startle response (Reynolds par. 9).
Children and teens are advised to live their lives as normally as possible. They should continue to attend school, worship, and maintain friendships. One strategy to promote resiliency in teens facing war and conflict is to encourage development of projects that support soldiers, victims, and refugees. Teens can be supportive by raising funds to send to relief agencies, collecting toiletries and small items of comfort, baking cookies, and writing to soldiers, victims, and teen refugees.
Works Cited
Ajdukovic, Marina. "Displaced Adolescents in Croatia: Sources of Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Reaction." Adolescence 33.129 (1998): 20917.
Reynolds, Glenda Phillips. "The World Trade Center Attacks and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Education Forum 67.2 (2003): 129-38.
The fiction books listed below contain themes of war and conflict that cause teens to question their values as they fight for life in the midst of upheaval:
Clarke, Judith. Wolf on the Fold. Asheville, NC. 2000.
Collier, James Lincoln. My Brother Sam is Dead. New York: Four Winds Press. 1974.
Crane, Stephen. Red Badge of Courage. New York: W.W. Norton. 1979.
Green, Bette. Summer of My German Soldier. New York: Puffin Books. 1999.
Holliday, Laurel. Why Do They Hate Me? Young Lives Caught in War and Conflict. New York: Archway Paperbacks. 1999.
Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils. New York: Berkley Books. 1986.
Myers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels. New York: Scholastic Inc. 1988.
Paulsen, Gary. Soldier's Heart. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf. 2000 © 1998.
Reeder, Carolyn. Foster's War. New York: Scholastic Inc. 1998.
Rinaldi, Ann. Amelia's War. New York: Scholastic Inc. 1999.
For nonfiction books, check Rosen Publishing's Web Site at http://www.rosenpublishing.com for recent books on a wide range of topics such as war correspondents, weapons, and teen soldiers. In addition, Rosen's set called The Library of American Lives and Times consists of books about people (i.e., Ethan Allen, Abigail Adams, Betsy Ross, Nathan Hale, Patrick Henry, Paul Revere, and Thomas Paine) who stood up for their beliefs in the face of revolution, conflict, and war.
Valuable Web resources are the Librarian's Index to the Internet on War and Peace: Resources Related to the Current Iraq Crisis at http://lii.org/warandpeace and the Highland Park, IL, Public Library's Encounters for Terrorism: Readings for Young Adults at http://www.hplibrary.org/kids/booklists/special/terrorbib.html
Inquiries? Please contact Dr. Jami Jones