BRADENTON, Fla. — We're now a few months from the most recent hurricane, but the effects it could be having on children may still be there. 

What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Steve O'Brien says the intensity and frequency of the hurricanes we had last year can stay with children even months later

  • Gene Witt Elementary School Art Teacher Kim Hoy said she has seen students incorporate the hurricanes into their art

  • O'Brien said having discussions about resources, plans, and support systems available can help relieve a child's anxiety

According to local Clinical Child Psychologist Dr. Steve O'Brien, the intensity and frequency of the hurricanes we had last year can stay with children even months later. 

"Children really understand that this is a reality, and unfortunately, they're going to think of it as even more possible than they may have before those hurricanes," he said. "So, it's becoming part of their psyche." 

The lasting impact of the hurricanes can even be seen in the classroom. 

An art contest at an elementary school saw multiple students incorporate the storms into their drawings. 

Gene Witt Elementary School Art Teacher Kim Hoy said since the hurricanes hit Tampa Bay, she's seen her students incorporate the effects of the storms into their art.  

Some of her students are among those affected by the hurricanes.

"It was really interesting to see how the kids did really think about what was happening at the time," she said. "We had a number of houses created up kind of high or up on stilts."

O'Brien said having discussions about resources, plans, and support systems available can help relieve a child's anxiety.