Your littlest ones (ages 0 to 5)

What you might see (and it's normal)

Going back to thumb-sucking or bedwetting. Extra clinginess. New fears of the dark, strangers, or being alone. Acting the fire out over and over in play. Changes in eating or sleeping. Tummy aches with no clear cause.

What helps

• More cuddles, lap time, and comfort. Physical closeness is the language they understand.
• Tell them, simply and often, that they're safe now and the immediate danger has passed.
• Keep the day predictable. Same pickup time, same bedtime, as much as you can.
• Keep them away from fire news and images.
• Put words to what they might be feeling ("that was scary, and you're safe now").
• Let them play and draw. That's how little kids process.

Why this happens for them

Very young children can't say what they feel, so it comes out in their behavior and their bodies. Going backward in development for a while is normal after a scare, and it passes. You may need to just tolerate the regression for a bit, and that's okay.