Dr. Sid Khurana on How Parents Can Talk to Children After a Traumatic Event

Nevada Mental Health’s Medical Director, Dr. Sid Khurana, recently spoke with News 3 Las Vegas about how parents can support children after the Smith’s grocery shooting and other frightening events in the community.

When children hear about violence or danger in a familiar place, parents are often left with difficult questions. Should they bring it up first? How many details should they share? What if their child does not want to talk? As a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr. Khurana explained that the answer depends partly on how close the child was to the event.

If a child only heard about the incident from friends, classmates, social media, or the broader community, the conversation may look different than it would for a child who was physically present, saw part of what happened, or believed they were in direct danger.

“It depends,” Dr. Khurana said. “Did children find out about this through friends or communities or school? Or were these children involved in the incident?”

For children who directly or indirectly witnessed a traumatic event, Dr. Khurana recommended creating space for a family debrief without forcing the child to talk before they are ready.

Open the Door, But Do Not Force the Conversation

Parents do not need to have a perfect script. In many cases, the most important first step is to calmly let the child know that the adults in their life are available.

Dr. Khurana described this as “opening up the space” for discussion. A parent might say something simple, such as: “I know you heard about something scary today. We are here if you want to talk about it, and we can answer questions when you are ready.”

Some children will want to talk right away. Others may need time. Dr. Khurana emphasized that if children are not ready to talk, parents can give them that time while continuing to watch how they are doing.

That balance matters. Pressing a child for every detail can make the conversation feel more overwhelming. Avoiding the topic completely can leave the child feeling alone with their fear or confusion. A steady, open invitation gives the child permission to come forward when they are ready.

Watch for Changes in Sleep, Appetite, School, and Play

After a traumatic or frightening event, parents can go back to the basics. Dr. Khurana encouraged families to pay attention to daily functioning.

Is the child sleeping normally? Are they eating? Are they able to go to school the next day? Are they still playing, riding bikes, spending time with friends, or doing the activities they enjoyed before?

If those routines remain mostly intact, the child may be processing the event with resilience and support. But if parents notice meaningful changes, such as nightmares, major appetite changes, school avoidance, withdrawal from friends, irritability, fearfulness, or loss of interest in normal activities, it may be time to seek additional support.

Children do not always say, “I am anxious” or “I am having a hard time.” Sometimes distress shows up in behavior, sleep, stomachaches, clinginess, anger, or avoidance. Families who are concerned about a child’s emotional health can also learn more about child and adolescent psychiatry and when professional support may help.

Keep Routines Steady

In the News 3 segment, Dr. Khurana also outlined practical ways parents can help children feel grounded after a frightening incident. These include making sure children eat, sleep, stay active, and return to regular routines as much as possible.

Routine does not erase what happened, but it can help a child’s nervous system feel safer. Meals, school, bedtime, movement, and familiar family rhythms all send the message that care and structure are still present.

Bedtime can be especially important. Instead of turning the evening into a long interrogation, parents can keep the child’s bedtime routine calm and predictable, then remind the child that they can come to them when they are ready to talk.

For some children, worries may surface later, after the immediate attention around the event has faded. Parents can keep checking in gently over the following days and weeks.

When to Consider Professional Support

It is normal for children to have questions, worries, or emotional reactions after hearing about or witnessing a frightening event. But if those reactions begin to interfere with sleep, school, relationships, appetite, mood, or everyday activities, a professional evaluation can help clarify what the child needs.

At Nevada Mental Health, our team works with children, teens, and families who are navigating anxiety, trauma-related stress, school concerns, and other mental health challenges. If you are unsure whether your child needs support, learning what to expect at Nevada Mental Health can help you understand how the process begins.

If your child is in immediate danger, may harm themselves or someone else, or cannot stay safe, call 911 or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Watch the News 3 Las Vegas Segment Featuring Dr. Khurana: