Therapist urges parents to look for signs of anxiety in children, following school shooting

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Therapists are now asking parents to talk with their children about any anxiety they might feel, following the Apalachee High School shooting.

“Just kind of calming down her anxiety,” said Pamela Boudrey, a mother of ten children.

Boudrey said in light of the school mass shooting in Winder, she’s keeping a close eye on her children, particularly her 12-year-old daughter.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“She was like ‘ah!” So, we were able to console her and tell her everything was okay,” Boudrey told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington.

Deputies said on Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy, who has been identified as Colt Gray, walked into Apalachee High and opened fire.

Four people died and several more were injured.

Therapists say now is the time for parents to look for the key signs of stress and anxiety in children.

“They can sometimes just get really lost in their thoughts. So, they have this excessive worry about a lot of things,” said licensed therapist Jody Baumstein.

“They see it on the news, social media. They see it all around them so I think children in general need to have people around them who will listen to them,” minister and therapist, Dr. Brenda Smith said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• LIVE UPDATES: Mugshot released of father of suspected Apalachee shooter
• Father of suspected Apalachee shooter being charged with murder, cruelty to children
• 15-year-old arrested after threatening to ‘finish the job’ after Apalachee shooting

Dr. Smith counsels students in the Barrow County School System.

“They’re reacting to the uncomfortableness of chaos, pain, and suffering,” Smith said.

Dr. Smith said this generation of young people is, unfortunately, used to school shootings and trauma. She said even if a child seems fine, they oftentimes are not.

“I would suggest to parents to keep talking to your children. They may say after the first two days, I’m fine, no problem…keep asking questions,” Dr. Smith explained.

For mental health resources and help, click here.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:

Teens arrested for making threats in Hall County

©2024 Cox Media Group