![]() But, if they were living far from home – and, sometimes, from a parent – they might be distressed and getting into trouble in their new school. They experienced both stability and turbulence – sometimes at the same time.įor example, kids might be healthy and well housed. Other young storm victims entered what we called a "fluctuating trajectory" after Katrina. They had strong family ties, reliable housing, good health, regular school attendance, supportive friendships and engaging extracurricular activities. After the initial period of post-storm disruption and struggle, children tended to follow one of three paths. Very few children simply "bounced back" after Hurricane Katrina. ![]() Their stories offer critical lessons about how Maria's youngest survivors can be better supported through the trauma of the hurricane and its aftermath. The book followed a group of children between the ages of 3 and 18, primarily from New Orleans, for seven years. We met hundreds of young Katrina victims while conducting research for the 2015 book " Children of Katrina," co-authored with disaster researcher Lori Peek. Evacuees scattered across the United States, from Dallas to New York. Over a million people were forced to flee their homes. Gulf Coast, killing 1,800 people and leaving behind a chaotic and dangerous disaster zone. It's been 13 years since Hurricane Katrina slammed the U.S. Research shows that children exposed to disaster may go on to suffer a host of problems, including emotional disturbance, increased stress, behavioral problems, academic troubles and greater risk of illness. All experienced the intensity of the storm and its disruptive aftermath. ![]() ![]() Credit: Alice Fothergill/University of VermontĪn estimated 657,000 people under the age of 18 lived in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria hit. The authors followed children affected by Katrina for seven years and found that they typically followed one of three paths: their lives declined markedly, they found stability or they fluctuated between instability and stability. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |