Counselor weighs in on mental health concerns following Arcadia school threats

ARCADIA, Fla. (WINK)— WINK News spoke to a mental health counselor about how parents can help their children cope during difficult times.

This comes after West Elementary students went through four lockdowns in a single week, which was caused by swatting calls.

• READ MORE: Fourth lockdown this week; students evacuate West Elementary following 2 swatting calls

Licensed mental health counselor Karina Brown says it starts with parents having the right mindset. She emphasizes the importance of being a calm, supportive presence for children who may be struggling.

"The best thing you can do for a child or even the parent in that situation is to be there. That calm presence in the midst of that child being disregulated and having people to talk to about it and process it and just normalizing their feelings is gonna be...we'll get them through those tough days to come," Brown said.

Brown says the biggest lesson for parents is to keep an eye on their kids and to always listen. She stresses that dismissing a child's feelings can be harmful.

"Never dismiss their feelings. We want to take their feelings very seriously into consideration and normalizing that it is OK to be upset. It's OK to feel nervous," Brown said.

With teenagers, it's not always easy to see if something is bothering them. Brown says parents should watch for signs their children are struggling over the next 90 days.

These can include trouble sleeping, over or under eating, or changes in their behavior. She also says there are breathing and grounding exercises parents can do with their children if they show signs of anxiety or if they're nervous to go to school.