Supporting Children After School Shootings.

Anticipatory guidance should be provided to families on identifying and addressing common adjustment reactions after a school shooting. Although adjustment difficulties may be related to post-traumatic and grief reactions, many will not be directly attributable to the school shooting. Understanding how to cope with associated worries and reactions can help children better adjust. Pediatricians can assist with guidance about the development of a reasonable timeline for emotional and academic recovery, traumatic stress/loss, coping strategies, support for students with special needs, identification of students most in need of support, identification of staff who are most likely impacted, and appropriate preparedness activities.