Emergency Psychological Intervention With Children: Alex Storm

Alex Storm: Acute Stress Manifestations' Description in French Pediatric Population

Alex storm hits France, especially the French Riviera, from September 30, 2020 to October 3, 2020. A lot of people have been impacted by this event. Among these people, 116 children have been taking care by the medico-psychological emergency unit and have been assessed by child psychiatrists or by psychologists.

Alex storm hits France from September 30, 2020 to October 3, 2020. On October 2, several valley in the Nice hinterland were devastated by this natural disaster. Nine people died during this storm and hundreds of families were affected (house washed away or uninhabitable). This led to emergency evacuations on October 3 of several families. The inhabitants of some villages have been subjected to prolonged stress (lack of water and electricity, difficulty in supplying food, fear of another storm). These villages were isolated for a period varying from fifteen days to over three months. These people are particularly exposed to psychological consequences.

Between October 3 and October 30, the CUMP (medico-psychological emergency unit) was mobilized to provide psychological first aid to these families. Among those seen in emergency 116 children were taken care of. In order to assess the immediate symptoms of the children, the investigators used an assessment sheet specific to the developmental ages of the children.

All children seen in an emergency between October 3 and October 30, 2020 were assessed by child psychiatrists or by psychologists trained in emergency and pediatric psychological trauma.

Inclusion Criteria:

• children impacted by the Alex storm
• children seen in an emergency between October 3 and October 30, 2020
• children were assessed by child psychiatrists or by psychologists trained in emergency and pediatric psychological trauma

Exclusion Criteria:

• children whose parents refused to the processing of their data