Disturbing dreams

A person may be affected when he sees pictures of the wounded or of martyrs on television, but it is harder when the event takes place before his eyes, so that its memory keeps turning in his mind without being erased. The child K.T. witnessed a horrific incident involving his brother before his eyes, which affected him psychologically and behaviourally, so that he became extremely violent, waking from disturbing dreams and wetting himself. K.T., who is fifteen years old, was born in the Beit Lahia project and lives in a modest flat with his father, who is married to two women, having 9 siblings from the first and two sisters from the second, and their economic situation is very wretched. The child joined the "Our children are our hopes" programme by referral through a field visit by the psychological support team. It was noticed that he is a sensitive child, aggressive, turning his behaviour to severe aggression, and this is clearly apparent in the way he deals with his friends. His mother was called in to speak with her and to learn more about his character and his dealings with others. She told us that he was greatly affected when he witnessed the incident that took his brother's life before his eyes, and that this is what made him have disturbing dreams and wet himself. He also flares up severely when he hears some of the children saying he is "black", referring to his colour. His mother went on to say that he takes no interest in his studies and does not care about them, refuses to do his homework, and is reckless and very lazy, and loves to play in the street a great deal. The "Our children are our hopes" team sensed this aggression during the training and play period, and the specialist also sensed that K. likes to possess things and does not cooperate with the children in a group. After all the information about the child had been gathered through his mother and our own observations, the psychological support team took some measures to limit his conduct and behaviour, through educational counselling, amounting to 3 sessions. The team also assigned him some tasks, among them: taking part in solving some school problems; taking part in games continuously; taking part in solving the problem; giving him a long opportunity to speak; taking part as a leader in the games; and reinforcement for correct answers. The psychological support team made a field visit to his family to give them some mechanisms for dealing with him and how to act with him, and to give them some measures to limit the involuntary bedwetting and the disturbing dreams. Over a period of time and through communication between the family and the psychological support team, the team was informed that the child had become somewhat sociable, and his mother said he had begun to take part at school and to do his homework, and she noticed a clear change in his aggressive behaviour, particularly at home, and that the language of understanding had become his language, and that for a week he had not wet himself. After follow-up by the psychological support team, he began to take part in study and remedial classes even if his answer was wrong and unclear, and he became the first to want to answer the teachers' questions, and his writing on the board was an achievement in itself. His level became acceptable and needs more attention from the family and the teachers in the programme and at school. The team included some activities and games in the programme's plan that help treat behavioural problems of this kind, such as using the technique of gradual desensitisation through relaxation sessions.