JTS
COMMON SIGNS OF MOURNING IN CHILDREN
When they learn of the death of a loved one, children have many of the same physical and emotional responses as adults, but children mourn their loss in different ways. Adults need to be aware of these signs of mourning in order to accurately meet the children's needs. When children's mourning behaviors are wrongly perceived as misbehavior, the children's hurt and confusion may deepen.
Anxiety
Children may lose their sense of security and fear another death or loss. Young children may become clinging or demanding.
Vivid memories
Real or fantasized images related to the death can intrude on other thoughts. Memories can show up as dreams or nightmares.
Sleep difficulty
This is very common. If "sleep" is used to describe death, the child may fear sleeping. Children who cannot mourn the death during the day may have more dreams and nightmares about it.
Sadness and longing
Some children cry. Some don't. Some are sad for a long time; some aren't. Some children try to hide their sadness to protect their parents. Children may long for the loved one, become preoccupied with memories, or may carry an object that reminds them of the deceased. For a while, this can help the child deal with the pain.
Anger and acting out
Children may become very angry at death, God, or adults in general. Or they may be angry at themselves, and somehow feel responsible for the death.
Guilt
Some children believe they are responsible for the death. Some may feel guilty because of a thought or deed. Feelings like, "It was my fault" or "I must have been bad" may cause lingering guilt. The child needs to talk about these feelings and needs your help to understand that they are not true.
School problems
The child may learn more slowly than usual due to difficulties in concentrating, memories, sadness, and grief.
Physical complaints
Common complaints include headaches, stomach aches, and may even include symptoms similar to those of the deceased