Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

As a child, I experienced the effects of war indirectly.  My older brother joined the Air Force and a year later was sent to Saudi Arabia to fight in the Dessert Storm War.  I was in third grade at the time he was sent to fight in the Persian Gulf.  I remember feeling extremely scared that I may not ever see my brother again.  I became obcessed with the news, at a young age I didn't understand a whole lot of what they were saying, but I knew that soldiers over seas were dying and I knew that the place where my brother was stationed was extremely unsafe.  I would write letters and even spoke on the phone with him a few times, however, there would be months when I did not have any contact with him what so ever.  We kept a yellow ribbon tied around the tree in our front yard in hopes for his safe return.  I attended a counseling group in my elementary school for students who had a family member at war.  I remember that talking with others who were in the same situation was very helpful, but I also remember feeling very distracted and even struggling in school at times.  A year and a half later we welcomed my brother home from Saudi Arabia, I remember feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, knowing that he had come home safely from War.