Terrorist attacks, mental health symptoms following

Diagnosis of Mental Health Symptoms Following Terrorist Attacks 

After a biological, chemical or radiological attack, patients may present with a variety of mental health responses, including distress responses, behavioral changes, psychosomatic symptoms, including medically unexplained symptoms, psychological symptoms and psychiatric illness, such as PTSD (20). Categories of common mental health responses include (20,21)  

Children respond to disasters based on their developmental stage, their level of exposure and the response of others around them (22). Physical injury, proximity to the disaster, witnessing injury and death of family members or other loved ones, the extent and duration of disruption of daily activities, parental reactions and family disruption all contribute to how children respond. Relevant developmental factors include cognitive, physical, educational and social development and experience. In addition, the emotional state of children and their families before the disaster help predict their response after. Therefore, primary care physicians who have provided continuous care for families, including emotional support, are well suited to help families, including children, to adjust following a disaster (22). 

Children tend to display five primary responses secondary to loss, exposure to trauma and disruption of routine for about a month following a disaster (23)  

The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a booklet containing information and tools for primary care physicians useful for assessing and treating children following disasters (23). The booklet suggests that physicians can rapidly assess the extent a disaster has affected a child or adolescent by inquiring specifically about  

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