Ferguson: How to help children understand TV images

KSDK-TV, St. Louis, Mo.

A woman carries a child on her shoulders during a march through the streets of downtown Atlanta, Ga., on Monday, Aug. 18, 2014, in protest of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

FERGUSON, Mo. — Emotions are running high across the country in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting by police in suburban St. Louis on Aug. 9.

Watching the protests unfold on television may make people feel anxious, confused or sad. Children may be particularly upset by the images they see.

Dr. Kathleen Berchelmann, a pediatrician at St. Louis Children's Hospital, says there are things parents can do to help children understand what's going on and cope with their feelings. And there are ways adults can deal with their emotions as well.

In this video interview, Berchelmann addresses these questions:

• What are some of the ways we can expect to be feeling or reacting to what is going on?

• What should we tell our children?

• How can we deal with feeling overwhelmed or sad by what we're seeing?

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