Parents can alleviate children's fears.

• Position: Swine Flu - Brief article

Parents should assess their personal feelings about the swine flu situation when they discuss the matter with children so they can determine what messages they want to communicate, advises Judith Myers-Walls, associate professor of child development at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "Don't assume children don't know anything about it, but don't assume they understand everything, either. Recognize that children may be afraid, but they also may be sad about other people who are facing the illness."

The spread of H1N1 (swine flu) may spark fear and questions among children of all ages, especially with reports of fatalities and school closings. "We've never had this fast a response while watching an outbreak like this develop, so we are probably more on top of it than ever before, but we are also more scared than ever before," she notes.

Parents should be ready to have multiple discussions with their offspring and encourage them to ask questions. Youngsters...