Communicating with Children with Special Needs in Disasters and Crises

Ibrahim Dag (Author)

Release Date:

Th is chapter focuses on the importance of communication strategies for engaging with children with special needs in post-disaster scenarios. It examines the impacts of disasters and crises on children with special needs. Firstly, the chapter conducts a detailed analysis of the situation of children with special needs aff ected by disasters and identifi es [...]

Media Type
    Buy from

    Price may vary by retailers

    Th is chapter focuses on the importance of communication strategies for engaging with children with special needs in post-disaster scenarios. It examines the impacts of disasters and crises on children with special needs. Firstly, the chapter conducts a detailed analysis of the situation of children with special needs aff ected by disasters and identifi es their specifi c risks. Subsequently, it emphasizes the signifi cance of post-disaster communication and the necessity of eff ective communication with children with special needs. Th e chapter discusses fundamental principles for communicating with children with special needs and explores post-disaster communication strategies. Additionally, it provides recommendations for the preparation and education of children with special needs for disasters and crises through example scenarios and practices. Lastly, it addresses awareness campaigns for families and communities, along with the 8 stages of psychological fi rst aid. Th is chapter comprehensively addresses the communication strategi.
    • Lynch EW, Hanson MJ. Developing cross-cultural competence: A guide for working with young children and their families. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes 2004.

    • Banks RA, Santos RM, Roof V. Discovering family concerns, priorities, and resources: Sensitive family information gathering. Young Exceptional Children 2003; 6(2): 11-19.

    • UNHCR. Child protection: Issue brief. Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being of Children 2016. https://emergency.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/Child%20Protection%20Issue%20Brief.pdf

    • Owl Tutors. Four Categories of Language Difficulty 2022. https://owltutors.co.uk/four-categories/

    • Snapp E, Ketcheson L, Martin J, Centeio E. Enhancing quality of life for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Community & Rehabilitation 2020; 3(1): 33-41.

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disability impacts all of us 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html

    • Pressbooks. Chapter 15: Families of children with special needs. Infant and Toddler Development and ResponsiveProgram Planning 2022. https://wtcs.pressbooks.pub/infanttoddlerdev/chapter/chapter-15-families-of-children-with-special-needs/

    • . European Court of Auditors. Journal No: 3. 2021. https://www.eca.europa.eu/lists/ecadocuments/journal21_03/journal21_03.pdf

    • Coursera. Strategies in Communication. 2023. https://www.coursera.org/articles/strategies-in-communication

    • Matracia M, Saeed N, Kishk M, Alouini MS. Post-disaster communications: Enabling technologies, architectures,and open challenges. IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society 2022; 3(1): 1-1.

    • Karaca A, Efilti E. The communication between parents with special needs children and their typically developing children in Turkey. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research 2020; 6(3): 1356-1372.

    • . Babaii A, Mohammadi E, Sadooghiasl A. The meaning of the empathetic nurse–patient communication. Journal of Patient Experience 2021; 8.

    • Access Foundation. Improve social skills for children and adults with disabilities 2018. https://www.accessfoundation.com.au/blog/improve-social-skills-for-children-and-adults-with-disabilities

    • Ucik AF. Effective communication for special needs children educators. Journal of Advanced Research in Educational Sciences 2018; 3(2).

    • Gumińska N, Smiley E. Effective communication as an option for a better social functioning for people withautism from an international perspective. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 2015; 2(1):10-14.

    • Diffly D, Morrison K. Family-friendly communication for early childhood programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children 1996.

    • . Sharkey S, Lloyd C. Communicating with disabled children when inpatients: Barriers and facilitators identified by parents and professionals in a qualitative study. Health Expectations 2016; 19(3):738–750.

    • LD Explained. How to Show Empathy to Child 2023. https://www.ldexplained.org/social-inclusion/socialemotional-well-being-at-home/how-to-show-empathy-to-child/

    • Bell J, Condren M. Communication strategies for empowering and protecting children. Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2016; 21(2): 176-184.

    • Gül SO, Ardıç A, Olgun Soylu B, Ünal Y. Posttraumatic stress symptoms and related variables in families of children with disabilities. International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education 2017; 9(2): 112-127.

    • U.S. Department of Education. Supporting the whole child: A guide to supporting the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of children and youth 2022. https://www2.ed.gov/documents/students/supporting-child-student-social-emotional-behavioral-mental-health.pdf.

    • . University of Texas Permian Basin. The use of technology in special education 2022. https://online.utpb. edu/about-us/articles/education/the-use-of-technology-in-special-education/

    • Department for Education. Mental health for early years children 2023. https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-and-welfare/mental-health-for-early-years-childre

    • Al-Hroub A, Kebbi M. Stress and coping strategies used by special education and general classroom teachers.International Journal of Special Education 2018; 33(1).

    • Aksakal Kuc H, Atasayar M. Emotional structures of parents with special needed children and basic dynamicsin family education. Turkish Journal of Applied Social Work 2019; 1(2).

    • Yüksel H, Tanrıverdi A. Özel gereksinimli çocuğa sahip olan ailelerin yaşadıkları sosyal sorunlar ve baş etme yolları. Özel Eğitim Dergisi 2019; 20(3): 535-559.

    • Demircioğlu M, Şeker Z, Aker AT. Psychological first aid: Objectives, practicing, vulnerable groups and ethical rules to follow. Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2019; 11(3): 351-362.

    • Brymer M, Layne C, Jacobs A, et al. Psychological first aid field operations guide. 2nd edition. Los Angeles: National Child Traumatic Stress Network and National Center for PTSD 2006.

    • . World Health Organization. Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers 2011 https://www.who.int/mental_ health/publications/guide_field_workers/en/

    Share This Chapter!