Trauma can be triggered months later, health professional says of Laval daycare bus tragedy
Posted February 11, 2023 5:36 pm.
Last Updated February 11, 2023 7:02 pm.
Quebec is making sure children, parents and first responders have the support they need to cope with last week’s tragic Laval daycare bus crash that claimed the lives of two children.
As the province continues to grieve, experts say people need continuous support.
READ: Driver charged with 1st-degree murder after bus crashes into daycare, killing 2 children
For instance, psychological repercussions can sometimes appear much later, according to Urgences-santé.
“Sometimes the impact will not be felt right away, but it will be a day or a couple weeks or even a couple months later,” said Chantal Comeau with Urgences-santé. “So that’s why it’s always important to stay vigilant, whether it’s a community member that witnesses the event or it’s a first responder that was on site and is feeling fine right now. But perhaps in a couple of months, something will trigger an emotion.
“It’s definitely been a very tragic event for everyone.”
Two four-year-old children were killed and six others were injured when a bus plowed into the Garderie Éducative Sainte-Rose on Wednesday.
The driver was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as seven other charges.
Jacob Gauthier, 4, was identified in an obituary posted online. Officials at Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church confirmed his funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday.
“I baptized him three years and a half ago and I will celebrate his funeral next Thursday, so it’s hard,” said Michel Bouchard, the parish priest at the church, where a mass was held Friday morning.
The identity of the second young victim has not been made public.
“Life is fragile,” said Bouchard. “We have to now take our strength and continue to live with these families who live an awful thing.”
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SOS Professionnels says it’s important for first responders to address the feelings associated with such a tragedy.
“There’s the phenomenon of denial in a case of shock and trauma,” said Delphine Poublan, the group’s executive director. “The first phase of grief is denial. We aren’t conscious that we’re traumatized, that can happen. And what is really important is to take the time to recuperate.
“These events are traumatic. It’s difficult. It isn’t an every-day event that we can simply analyze. It’s going to hit the unconscious and the trauma will be felt through images. For children, it’s incredibly important to continue to monitor and accompany them in healing from trauma.”
WATCH: Commemorative mass held in Laval for daycare bus attack victims
Witnesses described the event as “the worst thing in the world.” The bus crash has left a community shaken and grief-stricken.
“Everyone that was involved will be receiving control and support and follow-ups throughout the next couple of weeks,” said Comeau. “If anyone needs any further help, they will be given any professional help that they need. And we will also be doing under a different debriefing session in a couple of weeks to give them another chance to talk about what happened for that.”
