• Death of a family member
• Divorce or separation of parents
• Friend or relative moves away
• Death of a pet
• Move to a new city
• Sibling leaves home
• Transfer to a new school

Often, grieving children and teens become angry as a result of the loss. Anger is actually a form of denial. Adults can help children overcome their anger and deal with their grief in many ways, including:

1. Providing opportunities for the child to talk with a parent or other trusted adult about their angry feelings.
2. Allowing questions and answering them accurately and appropriately.
3. Learning to recognize grief symptoms, which may include frequent nightmares, withdrawal from friends, angry outburts, irritability, depression, outbursts of sobbing, aggressive behavior, denial, rapid breathing, nail biting, shortness of breath, sweating and deep sighing.
4. Providing support, understanding and attention to the child. Don't overlook the child's grief because of your own grieving.
5. Letting the child attend funeral rites.
6. Listening for hidden questions. For instance, the statement, "Daddy didn't really like me," may really mean, "Did Daddy leave because of me?"
7. Encouraging the child to talk about and remember the person who is gone.
8. Remembering that children have a difficult time controlling their emotions. Don't tell a child not to worry and not to cry.

Baptist Hospital East offers family counseling at the hospital as well as at Baptist Hospital Northeast in La Grange. For more information, call the Center for Behavioral Health® at (502) 896-7105 or toll-free 1-800-478-1105. Help is available 24 hours a day.