被災した子ども 泣いたっていいんだ

大震災・大津波で大きなショックを受けている子供たちに焦点を当てた毎日新聞の力作。
社説の中では朝日、読売と一線を画す優れた記事だと思います。
タイに住んでいてテレビで被災地の様子を毎日眺めているだけでこんなに落ち込みます。
被災した子供たちの苦しみは察するにあまりあります。
それでもこの子供たちが明日の日本を背負っていくことだけは間違いないでしょう。
（スラチャイ記）

(Mainichi Japan) March 30, 2011
Japan must not overlook mental health of children in disaster zone
社説：被災した子ども　泣いたっていいんだ

There are many elementary school children making the rounds of disaster evacuation shelters to look for their missing parents.
　父や母を求めて避難所を回っている小学生がいる。

Others are searching the rubble of collapsed buildings for mementos such as photos as well as their belongings. がれきの中から思い出の写真やカバンを探す子どもたちもいる。

Some children were seen to smile during their school graduation ceremonies.
卒業式では笑顔も見られた。

People across the country are trying to cheer up these children in quake- and tsunami-hit areas.
「がんばれ」。けなげな姿に全国から声が上がる。

More than 10,000 people have been confirmed dead and some 16,000 others remain missing following the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake.
死者１万人以上、行方不明者１万６０００人以上。

Facing this unbelievable reality, anybody would want to encourage child survivors to help them conquer hardships already experienced and those sure to come.
信じられない現実を前にしたら誰だって励ましたくなる。

どこかに希望を見つけたくなるものだ。

However, children are already doing their best.
　しかし、子どもたちは十分にがんばっている。

Even though they do not understand what has happened to them as much as adults and cannot express their feelings, they can also suffer from disaster trauma and become overwhelmed with grief after losing their family members, their homes or both.
現実に起きたことを大人のようには理解できず、気持ちをうまく伝えられなくても、恐怖やショックによるトラウマ反応、家族や自宅をなくした喪失感は子どもの心にも起きる。

Rather than simply urging children to overcome the disaster, what is needed is to look for subtle changes in their emotions and provide appropriate psychological support.
今、必要なのは励ましよりも、小さな変化に周囲が気づき適切なケアをすることだ。

Children who have experienced such a massive disaster tend to complain of insomnia and loss of appetite, act infantile, be frightened by loud sounds, easily lose their temper, have nightmares and refuse activities they enjoyed before the traumatic event.
　眠れない、食欲がない、赤ちゃん返りをする、大きな音におびえる、いらいらする、夢にうなされる、好きだったことをしなくなる。

If children begin to show these symptoms, adequate care should be provided to them, such as telling them, "You're all right," and avoiding letting them sleep alone, in order to reassure them.
このような様子が見られたら注意が必要だ。「大丈夫だよ」と声をかける、寝るときは一人にしない、スキンシップを心がけるなど、安心感を与えるための配慮が必要になる。

Some children repeatedly talk about what they saw and experienced in the disaster, but adults around them should understand this as a sign that they are trying hard to accept the shocking reality and patiently listen to what they have to say.
被災体験を繰り返し話す子もいるが、衝撃的な現実をなんとか受け入れようと苦しんでいるサインだと思って辛抱強く聞いてほしい。

Pep talks like, "Never say die" and "There are some other people who are in more difficult situations.
Overcome this hardship," must be avoided.
　「弱音を吐くな」「もっと大変な人がいる。負けるな」などの叱咤（しった）激励は禁物だ。

Adults may say these things to children to encourage them, but they can be counterproductive, driving a child into a psychological corner.
こちらは一生懸命に励ましているつもりでも、子どもを追い詰めるだけという場合がある。

Some children are afflicted with survivor's guilt when the rest of their families lost their lives in the disaster.
自分だけ生き残ったことで罪悪感に苦しんでいる子もいる。

They should rather be convinced that they do not have to hide their tears or their feelings.
泣きたいのに我慢したり、つらい気持ちを隠したりする必要はないことを伝えるべきだ。

The Japanese Association of Clinical Psychology and the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP) have guidelines on their respective websites on dealing with children who have experienced a massive disaster.
被災した子どもへの対処法については日本臨床心理学会や国立精神・神経医療研究センターがホームページで紹介している。

Mental health experts are working in quake-hit areas, but they cannot look after all the children who need their care.
心のケアの専門職が被災地に入っているもののとても足りる状況ではない。

Academic societies specializing in children's mental health are providing telephone and e-mail counseling, and such services should be fully utilized.
関係学会はメールや電話相談も開設しているので積極的に利用してほしい。

Children can initially endure the harsh living conditions at shelters because they maintain a sense of tension after the disaster. If their evacuation is prolonged, however, they may suffer from sudden depression or feel physically ill.
　被災直後は気持ちが張っているため休まなくてもがんばり続けられるが、長期化すると急に落ち込んだり体調を崩すことがある。

Minor symptoms that children show immediately after a disaster can be dealt with if adequate care is provided. 被災後の小さな症状は適切な配慮をすれば一過性のものとして回復することが多い。

However, post-traumatic stress disorder should be suspected if children continue to show such symptoms for more than a month.
In that case, expert treatment is required.
しかし、そうした症状が１カ月以上続いたらＰＴＳＤ（心的外傷後ストレス障害）の疑いがあり専門的なケアを受けることが必要だ。

Even children who did not experience the quake could show symptoms such as insomnia if they repeatedly see shocking images of the disaster on TV.
　また、衝撃的な映像を繰り返し見ることで直接被災していない子どもにも不眠などの症状が起きる場合がある。

There are reportedly some cases where children who were not hit by the disaster complain they feel anxious and suddenly begin to cry in class.
不安を訴え、教室で突然泣き出した子もいるという。

Close attention should be paid to subtle changes in children's words and deeds so as not to overlook any sign that they are developing psychological problems.
日常の中の異変を見落とさないでほしい。

Efforts to provide mental care for children in quake- and tsunami-devastated areas have come to a crucial stage. 　これからが正念場だ。

The nation as a whole is urged to protect both the mental and physical health of children.
小さな命をみんなで守りたい。

毎日新聞　2011年3月30日　東京朝刊