The Cost of Surviving Gun Violence for Children and Their Families
"Many uninjured mass shooting survivors have unseeable wounds."
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Fact checked by Karen Cilli
Ashbey Beasley, 47, and her then 6-year-old son Beau were attending the annual 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois in 2022 when a gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle opened fire, killing seven people and injuring 48 others.
The pair were able to flee to safety, but surviving the shooting was just the beginning for Beau and Beasley—the impact of gun violence has since permeated every part of the family’s life.
“For a long time, he couldn’t discuss it at all. He would cry or scream or run out of the room,” Beasley tells Parents. “Now he can talk about it. He talks about how scary it was. He remembers every detail.”
And they aren't alone; research has proven the continuous physical and emotional trauma that exists for young people who survive shootings. We turned to experts to learn more about the lasting impacts of gun violence, ranging from physical injuries to an ongoing mental health toll that adds up to a major unseen cost.
Related: How to Talk to Kids About Gun Violence
The Mental and Physical Cost of Surviving a Mass Shooting
Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children living in the United States, surpassing car crashes and overdoses. In fact, research shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency room visits for pediatric firearm injuries doubled.
Stanford researchers estimate that in 2018 and 2019 alone, more than 100,000 American children have attended a school where a shooting took place. Multiple studies have shown the mental health impact exposure to mass shootings can have on children, including post traumatic stress disorder, suicide, depression, substance abuse, and anxiety.
Those physically harmed may face numerous surgeries or other procedures, months or years of physical therapy and health complications from their injuries. Dr. Chethan Sathya, a pediatric trauma surgeon and director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention at Northwell Health, says an already overwhelmed health care system can often only provide a patchwork of care and services that can make it difficult for families to access the physical care their child may need.
“A lot of the services we’re talking about go beyond surgical care,” Sathya tells Parents. “We are not resourced to provide ongoing care for the sequelae of these gunshots, whether it be long term effects, disability, PTSD, substance use, other behavioral health issues, repeat injuries, and so on.”
Recently, researchers studied insurance claims for 2,052 child and adolescent shooting survivors, along with 6,209 of their family members, and found that the physical, psychiatric, and substance abuse issues often caused by the trauma of a mass shooting can increase a family's health care cost by almost 2,000%. Survivors who were physically harmed experienced a 117% increase in pain disorders, including musculoskeletal pain and headaches. They also experienced a 68% increase in psychiatric disorders, like PTSD. And for those with major injuries, that increase jumped to 321%.
“Our study shines light on the substantial effects incurred not just directly by victims and survivors of gun violence, but indirectly by parents and siblings who, we found, often relinquish their own routine health care to the more acute health needs of the family,” Chana Sacks, the study’s senior author and co-director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Gun Violence Prevention Center, said in a statement. “Improved health systems rooted in trauma-informed approaches are essential to ensure those indirectly affected by firearms injuries are identified and able to access much needed care.”
The same study found that psychiatric disorders among parents of children who survived a mass shooting increased by 30%—and was much higher among the children of parents who died. Mothers in particular experienced a 75% increase in mental health visits.
The Price Tag of Surviving Gun Violence
Researchers at Everytown for Gun Safety, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), leading health economist Ted R. Miller, and others worked together to calculate the economic impact of gun violence for both victims and survivors. Their research found that gun violence costs Americans $557 billion annually, including $2.8 billion in medical costs, $53.8 billion in lost wages, and $489.1 billion in what is described as “quality of life” costs, including a person’s extended pain and suffering.
Related: School Shootings Have Turned Survivors Into Advocates—But They Shouldn't Have To Be
Young Survivors of Gun Violence Often Have Lasting Mental Health Challenges
In order to help her son, now 7, process and talk about the shooting, Beasley and her husband found a trauma therapist who specializes in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)—a treatment originally developed to treat distress associated with traumatic memories. She reports that the treatment has been successful, but the guilt that she feels while watching her son navigate the aftermath of a shooting is inescapable.
“I move differently now. I worry more. I also feel like I failed him,” she explains. “I know it’s not my fault, but I carry so much guilt about...[putting] us in the middle of the chaos that has traumatized him for life.”
The ability to access mental health care for her child is a privilege—but a costly one. Beasley says her insurance deductible is $5,000. Beau’s trauma therapist did not take the family’s insurance, so every visit was an out-of-pocket expense. Her son now sees another therapist who does take the family’s insurance.
“We are so lucky to have good insurance that covers the bulk of the therapy Beau has needed and that we have the money to pay for out-of-pocket costs,” she adds. “Right now he goes to therapy once a week and has a taxpayer-funded individualized education program (IEP) to help him deal with his PTSD.”
Shira Spiel, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist, explains that trauma destabilizes a child’s ability to regulate themselves, meaning symptoms of trauma can manifest in a variety of ways.
“Some common symptoms you might see are nightmares or hyper-vigilance; some children may be withdrawn or sad while others might be hyperactive or inattentive or irritable," Spiel tells Parents. "Some children regress to previous milestones.”
All of this is why Beasley hopes for a brighter future, and one that encourages understanding of the lasting impacts of gun violence.
“I wish people understood that many uninjured mass shooting survivors have unseeable wounds and they need care and support,” she says. “A parent shouldn’t have to decide between their job or staying home to care for their family in the wake of a mass shooting. Until we start looking into the economic impact mass shootings have on communities and survivors whose lives are forever changed, we can’t truly know what mass shootings are costing individual families and communities.”
Related: Eleven Years After the Sandy Hook School Shooting, Teens Share What it's Like Growing Up
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do To Help
For parents, caregivers, and children who have been impacted by gun violence, there are a number of online resources that can help assist in the ongoing healing process, including those provided by Save the Children, Child Mind Institute, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. These resources can help parents talk to children about school shootings and other distressing news, along with provide guidance to navigate traumatic situations.
Parents caring for a child impacted by gun violence are encouraged to take social media breaks, talk to other trusted adults, and to find empowerment through community engagement, according to Sandy Hook Promise, a gun violence prevention organization.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or suffering from a mental health care emergency, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, text HOME to 741741, or visit speakingofsuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
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Read the original article on Parents.
