Grief Management

In early life children may experience many different losses as they grow up. As they have their own thinking process and longings which are innocent and subtle. There are many circumstances where a child may feel the brunt of grief such as a friend moves away, a loss of a cherished item, a child moving grade may mean leaving behind a favorite teacher, a pet dies, a family member has a serious illness, a grandparent, neighbour or family friend passes away. Sometimes parental relationships end and with divorce or separation which also brings change to the whole the family.


Children grieve differently to adults. In fact, you may not recognize that your child is grieving. You may not realize the degree to which a loss or the "sad parts" of children's books and movies or a news report about a tragic event affects them. At American Wellness Center based in Dubai Healthcare City we have a special place in our heart for the young and innocent souls who need help managing their grief. 


Children experience grief in many different ways:

  • Death of a family member or friend
  • Death of a family pet
  • Parents separating or a family break-up
  • Moving to a new home or school
  • Loss of a favourite toy
  • Changing teachers or classes
  • Loss of a friendship or friends moving away
  • Having a disability or medical illness
  • Finding out a family member is sick
  • Loss related to a crisis - fire, flood, accident
 

What are the common grief responses in children?

  • Sadness
  • Disbelief
  • Guilt
  • Frustration
  • Fear
  • Anger
  • Panic
  • Shock
  • Confusion
  • Anxiety
  • Numbness
  • Longing
  • Lack of emotions
 

We encourage you to take it seriously and attend this on priority basis before their grief escalates to other mental health issues.


What are the signs that a child might be grieving?

 
Cognitively

They might have trouble concentrating, making decisions or get easily confused. You might see nightmares, lack of motivation, or a decline in school performance and self-esteem, regressed behavior and or bed wetting.

 
Emotionally

Children tend to go in and out of the grief process - crying one minute, then playing the next. They may also be unsettled, express anxiety about the safety of others or feel responsible for their parents.

 
Physically

Children may feel sick more often, experience headaches, stomach aches, tiredness, lack of energy or hyperactivity. You may also notice changes in their eating habits and sleeping patterns.

 
Spiritually

Children will be curious about death and dying and may ask a lot of questions. They may start to question why this happened and where the person might be now.

 
Socially

It’s common for children to either withdraw from family and friends, or become more dependent or clingy. They might also attempt to take on the role of an older sibling or adult who has died.

 
Behaviourally

They might show more challenging or demanding behaviour as they try to get care or reassurance from you. Themes of death may show up in their drawings or play. Behaviour may also show regression like bed wetting.

Grief looks different in children and teens. The loss is lifelong, and they often become isolated in their pain, confusion, and self-blame. Safety and security are replaced by trauma and anxiety. Their understanding of death, and their responses to the grief that follows, are largely influenced by their developmental level, making their treatment much different from that of an adult.

At American Wellness Center Dubai our western trained and well qualified child psychiatrists, child psychologists, pediatric neuropsychologists and therapists provide evaluation and grief counselling that can help children who are going through a grievance. We offer individual and group therapies for children of all ages based on an initial evaluation of 50 minutes. After the evaluation the clinician will diagnose a treatment plan based on symptoms and severity of the child’s condition.  

We encourage to follow up with the treatment plan of your child’s therapist to obtain maximum results.

Give us a call or visit us in Dubai Healthcare City.

FAQs

Grief management for schools focuses on supporting children and adolescents who have experienced loss or significant life changes. The program addresses emotional, social, and psychological challenges through individual and group therapies, helping students process their feelings and develop healthy coping mechanisms. At American Wellness Center in Dubai Healthcare City, we work closely with schools to provide specialized grief management support.
Grief can affect a child’s emotional well-being, academic performance, and relationships with peers and teachers. Addressing grief in a school setting provides a safe and structured environment where students can process their emotions, prevent long-term psychological effects, and maintain their academic progress.
Children experiencing grief may show signs such as difficulty concentrating in class, withdrawal from friends and group activities, irritability or mood swings, frequent crying, physical symptoms like headaches, or regressive behaviors such as bedwetting or clinginess.
Our services include individual counseling for students, group therapy sessions focused on shared experiences, workshops and training for teachers to support grieving students, and school-wide awareness programs to create a supportive environment.
Teachers can create a safe space for open communication, show empathy and patience, monitor changes in behavior or academic performance, and collaborate with school counselors or therapists to provide additional support.
Yes, group therapy sessions allow students to share their experiences with peers who have faced similar losses. This helps reduce feelings of isolation, build connections, and foster mutual support. Group sessions at AWC Dubai are facilitated by experienced child psychologists to ensure a safe and constructive environment.
Grief can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and lack of motivation, all of which impact academic performance. By addressing grief through therapy, children can regain focus, emotional balance, and the ability to engage in learning.
The duration of grief management therapy varies based on the child’s needs and the severity of their grief. Some children may benefit from a few sessions, while others may require ongoing support over several weeks or months.
Yes, parental involvement is highly encouraged. Parents play a critical role in reinforcing coping strategies at home. At AWC Dubai, we provide guidance to parents on how to support their child during the grieving process.
Children in Dubai often grow up in multicultural and expatriate communities, where they may face additional challenges such as the loss of social connections due to relocation or limited access to extended family support. Grief management programs at AWC Dubai consider these unique factors to provide culturally sensitive care.
We collaborate with schools by conducting student assessments to identify those in need of support, offering on-site therapy sessions or workshops, training teachers and staff on recognizing signs of grief, and providing follow-up care to ensure students’ emotional well-being.
Schools can establish a designated counselor or therapist for student support, develop peer support groups, encourage open communication between students, teachers, and parents, and integrate mindfulness and stress-relief activities into the school curriculum.
Yes, grief management programs address various types of losses, such as parental separation, relocation, or loss of a pet. At AWC Dubai, our specialists tailor therapy sessions to the specific nature of the child’s loss.
Schools can reach out to the American Wellness Center by visiting the Contact Us page or calling our clinic. We offer customizable programs to meet the unique needs of students and schools across Dubai.

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