FAC T SHEET FOR PROVIDERS

A Health Campaign of Uniformed Services University, www.usuhs.edu, and theCenter for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Bethesda, Maryland, www.CSTSonline.org

Advancing the Healthof the Family Left BehindThis Courage to Care fact sheet focuseson the anxieties and concerns of families,
especially children, of deployed soldiers.
We draw upon the expertise of leaders inmilitary medicine and family trauma who
define some of the critical phases and issues offamily vulnerability during deployment. Theyalso provide us with advice and language toenhance our interactions with the family leftbehind.
Healthcare providers to military families face a uniquechallenge: providing care to the family left behind. There
are many stressors on spouses and partners of deployedsoldiers and caregivers, often grandparents, as well as on
children. This stress can result in physical and emotional

illnesses that can be mild and transitory tomore severe and disabling.
While sensitivity to these issues isimportant, it is even more important tocommunicate in ways that offer hope andconstructive suggestions for mitigatingstress and fostering healthy familybehaviors.
Along with this fact sheet for healthproviders and their support staff, there
is a companion fact sheet for families with practicalinformation on communicating with children during
deployment: Helping Children Cope During Deployment.
The fact sheet can be downloaded and distributed in youroffice waiting area or posted on your organization’s website.

Reference Points for Providers and Families
Families and children of deployed soldiers experienceanxiety and a range of emotions in preparing for a parent’s
departure, during the actual deployment and in the processof reuniting. Families experiencing this cycle for the firsttime are especially vulnerable, as are those who face thepossibility of redeployment. In families with existing medical
or emotional problems, deployment can be especiallydifficult.
There are three important points to reinforce: 1) thedeployed parent is trained to do their job; 2) the family andchildren at home also have a job; and, 3) communication
with children should be age-appropriate.

details of the deployment and timing of the deployment at alevel of detail that is age-appropriate (see Courage to Care
Fact Sheet: Helping Children Cope During Deployment).

Preparing Children for Departure
At home parents and health professionals should
reinforce the fact that the deployed parent is trained to dotheir job. Most children worry and even fantasize about
deployed parents. They put themselves in the parent’s shoes
and feel overwhelmed by the anxiety of not knowing what
they would do in a potentially life-threatening situation.
It is important to remind children that their parents havebeen trained, have the skills, and know what they are doing
in deployment situations. Children should be informed of theCommunicating with Children during the Deployment
Experts in military medicine and trauma suggest using
the following metaphor when talking to families andchildren about deployment. Parents and providers canexplain to children that just as the deploying parent has ajob, so do the families and children who remain home.
The role of the military child during a deployment
can be a tough one, but it is also a REAL JOB. Reminding
children that “while your mom or dad is away you haveyour job to do too” is a way of valuing the unique roleof the military child, diminishing the helplessness, andemphasizing the skill set that is required by:■ Being successful in school■ Helping their parent■ Taking on new chores■ Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and not engaging in at-risk behaviors

Children can feel as much a contributor to a successful
Continued

deployment as any one else. This metaphor is a positive way
for parents to deal with children and family stress.
ReunitingParents at home anticipate the family reunion andoften feel pressure prior to and at the time of the actual
homecoming. It is important to recognize that children may
be slow to warm up to the returning parent. While somechildren may respond excitedly, others may be more aloof
and require more time. Children may have many questionsof the returning parent about their experiences. Thesequestions need to be respected and answered truthfully,
but with the level of information that is appropriate to thechildren’s age and developmental level.
Helping children cope with deployment is a challenge
and an opportunity. Reminding parents to be “in tune” with
their children and to listen to their concerns when they
are ready to express them; to limit television (especiallyof war coverage) to help reduce anxiety and worries; that
it is okay to accept assistance from family members andfriends; and that accepting help is also a way of contributing
to the health of their families—all are important points toreinforce in healthcare settings.

Resources for Parents: Talking with Children
About Traumatic Events
American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Disaster_Resource_
Center/Resources_for_Parents_Disaster.aspx
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA)
https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma-violence
Resources for Healthcare Providers:
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
has an entire section dedicated to medical
traumatization of children, including a toolkit for
healthcare providers.
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/pediatricmedical-traumatic-stress-toolkit-health-careproviders%20

Courage to Care is a health promotion campaign of Uniformed Services
University. Its purpose is two-fold: to provide quality health information reflecting ourUniversity’s excellence in military medicine and to present it in a friendly, appealing
format for immediate distribution for the health promotion needs in your community.

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
www.CSTSonline.org