David J. Schonfeld, MD, FAAP, established and directs the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, located at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; the Center coordinates the Coalition to Support Grieving Students, comprised of over 125 organizations including the major educational professional organizations (AASA, AFSA, AFT, ASCA, NAESP, NASN, NASP, NASSP, NEA, SSWAA founding members – along with NCSCB and the New York Life Foundation). Dr. Schonfeld is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He has authored more than 150 scholarly articles, book chapters and books (e.g., The Grieving Student: A Teacher’s Guide, Brookes Publishing) and has given more than 1,000 presentations on the topics of pediatric bereavement and crisis.
This session will provide practical advice to parents and other caregivers on how to help our children cope with persistent adjustment difficulties and grief associated with the pandemic. Common adjustment difficulties that are most likely to be seen at this point in the pandemic and practical strategies to provide assistance and support will be reviewed. The distinction between grief and loss, common during this pandemic, and trauma will be discussed; free resources from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and the Coalition to Support Grieving Students to address these challenges will be highlighted. The session will underscore the need for self-care among adults. Time will be devoted to questions and discussion. Together, we will consider how best to promote the recovery and continued adaptation of children and ourselves.