The Star-Ledger Sunday, August 25, 2002

As 9/11 approaches, many adults and children will experience what some call the "anniversary effect," a revisiting of some of the emotions and feelings they first experienced on Sept. 11 and thereafter. Mental health experts say to some extent these feelings are normal ways of coping. Besides feeling sad, scared, anxious or angry, parents and teachers may see some of the following behaviors:

Young children (up to age 5)

--Repetitive play; acting out events

--Clingy, difficulty separating

--Irritability

--Sleep disturbances like nightmares or bed-wetting

Elementary school age (5 to 12)

--Difficulty with concentration or focus

--Becoming quieter or withdrawn

--Becoming more aggressive and acting out

--Unexplained physical ailments, visits to the school nurse

--Sleep disturbances

--Changes in eating patterns

Middle school and high school age (12 to 18)

--Anger

--Difficulty concentrating

--Becoming louder, more aggressive

--Becoming quieter and withdrawn

--Changes in eating patterns

Parents and school staff should become concerned if:

--Child remains unusually upset for a week or more.

--Is having trouble with friends, in school, or grades suffer.

--Physical symptoms like headaches, dizziness, being tired continue.

--Sleep and eating problems continue.

Children who may be most vulnerable to the anniversary affect include :

--Those who have lost a loved one due to the tragedy.

--Those who have a personal connection to the event (a parent who escaped from the World Trade Center that day, for instance.)

--Children undergoing some other kind of disruption in their lives, like a divorce, a move or new school, death or illness of a family member.

--Children with existing condition like depression or anxiety disorder.

-- Peggy O'Crowley