Explaining Bioterrorism to Children

October 07, 2008

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Explaining Bioterrorism to Children

by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Because of the current worldwide struggle against terrorism, your child will probably hear about the possibility that terrorists may use biological agents (what is commonly called "germ warfare") in their attacks. For many parents, this is a difficult concept to fully comprehend, and having to explain it to children only adds to the challenges that lay ahead.

Even though this is a scary topic, when your child asks a question about bioterrorism, you should provide an honest answer. If you don't know enough about bioterrorism to answer his questions, tell him so. You don't have to tell him everything you know at one sitting; watch for cues that you have satisfied his curiosity and leave further discussion for another time.

Here are some of the questions you might anticipate:

What is bioterrorism? The simple answer to this question is that when terrorists want to hurt or scare other people, in addition to using guns or bombs, they can try to make people get very sick. Depending on your child's age and understanding of infections, you can tell him that one of the ways they do that is by spreading special bacteria or viruses (or simply "germs").

Are these infections like the ones I get? It is important that you make a point of assuring your child that these illnesses or infections are very different from the kinds of infections he gets (e.g., common conditions such as colds, ear infections, or diarrhea). You also might point out that if they are to occur at all, they will do so in limited areas--most likely in locations very distant from where you live. Also, be alert to the possibility that your child may have concerns that he doesn't voice openly. For instance, if he develops a fever or other signs of infection, you don't have to automatically reassure him that he hasn't been the victim of a terrorist attack, but be alert to the possibility that this may be on his mind and bring the subject up if you think it is warranted.

What kind of infections are these? Again depending on your child's level of understanding and interest, you can give him the names of some of the kinds of infections that may be involved like anthrax and smallpox, especially since older children are likely to already have heard something about them on the news. If this satisfies him, you can move on. Unless a young child directly asks about the kinds of symptoms these infections cause, you may not want to delve into them since they are in many ways similar to those of some routine childhood illnesses (such as fever, respiratory symptoms, and rashes). If he is interested in more information, be sure to tell him that these infections are not the same as the ones he may come down with in the coming weeks and months because they are caused by very different bacteria or viruses.

What are we doing to fight these biological weapons? Start by reassuring your child that you are being very careful and will do everything you can to keep him safe. You can explain that many other powerful adults also are working to protect our country, including our doctors and scientists, our soldiers, and all the government officials from the mayor to the president. Remind him that we have vaccines and antibiotics (or simply "medicines") to fight most of the diseases that terrorists might unleash.

What not to do
Although you may not know some of the answers to your child's questions, don't suggest that he look up information on bioterrorism on the Internet by himself. The kinds of human suffering caused by biological agents can be every bit as frightening as those caused by conventional weapons--your child really needs you to act as a filter for this type of information. And because bioterrorism is such a serious matter, you should never use it as an idle threat to scare your child into minding you (e.g., washing his hands before meals or bathing behind his ears).

In general, the same kinds of principles apply to discussing bioterrorism with your child as other related subjects. Please see our articles on terrorism, violence in the news, death, or war for more information and practical advice on dealing with these difficult topics.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Explaining Anthrax to Children
			Explaining Terrorism to Children
			Explaining War to Children
			Times of Crisis

Violence: Times of Crisis

Created October 10, 2001
Reviewed September 18, 2004

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