As the nation grieves, many questions remain about the Newtown massacre.
Harlingen Psychotherapist Susan Ander tells Action 4 News, it will be a “very complex case” to decipher.
And although the tragedy happened hundreds of miles away, Ander said parents in the Rio Grande Valley will need to comfort their children, help them understand the tragic events that claimed the lives of 20 young Sandy Hook Elementary children, and then help them overcome fears stemming from it.
"If the child has usually a very strong reaction, it may be because one or two of the adults have become overly emotional and invest in what's happening,” Ander said. “The child sees this and it scares the child.”
According to authorities the 20-year-old shooter, Adam Lanza, had Asperger’s - a form of Autism. Ander said that will bring new light to mental health issues, however, it cannot be an excuse for Lanza's actions.
"Laying it off on Aspergers - is just doesn’t get it - that's not it,” Ander said. “Aside from the Asperger’s which makes the child a little bit different, the child also has a personality, an emotional state of mind and a culture that he grows up in."
Ander adds this event is like a boulder dropped in water that will cause ripple effects for years to come - from gun control policy to children's safety at school.
Meanwhile, parents and educators need to keep a close eye on their children during this grieving time.
Some indicators that something could be wrong are, "Children's appetite changes; they're afraid to sleep alone, they now want to sleep with a parent or leave the lights on; their school work drops or they are unwilling to go to school, or if they go they want a child to go with them when they walk through the halls."
Each child adjusts differently, Ander said, and some may need more time than others to get over their fears.
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