As U.S. citizens struggle to cope with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, experts said parents should take special care of their children's needs.

On Saturday, Sept. 15, ABC's Peter Jennings talked to children about the recent events. For more about that program, click here.

Dr. Phil McGraw had plenty of advice on his latest "The Oprah Winfrey Show" appearance, including these main points:

• Watch for warning signs of bad reactions from children.
• Spend extra time with them.
• Get them away from the television.
• Use lots of physical contact. They need that familiarity and closeness right now.

Dr. Phil is scheduled to appear again Tuesday on "Oprah." The show airs on WTAE at 4 p.m.

WTAE-TV Medical Editor Marilyn Brooks said Critical Incident Stress Management represents a system of interventions designed to prevent or intervene in adverse psychological reactions that accompany emergency situations. For information on symptoms and signs, check the CIS Web site.

KidsHealth.org also has help for parents and those responsible for the care of children to deal with the fear and anxiety that can affect kids and teens in the wake of these events.

Brooks said KidsHealth.org offers these thoughts to consider:

• Let your feelings show.
• It's OK for your child to see you expressing what you both are feeling.
• Talk about it. Remain in control.
• Express your love for your child. Your child needs to feel safe and protected by you. Despite the widespread violence we have just witnessed, reassure your child that the danger to your family is minimal and that you are there to protect your child.
• Listen to your child. TV news will be covering these tragedies heavily in the weeks to come, and it will be the topic of everyone's conversations. Encourage your child to tell you what he or she has heard. Some of it may not be accurate, and some details may be exaggerated. Ask your child how he or she feels, what seems scary, and what worries him or her the most. And then, where possible, reassure your child about your family's safety.
• Spend some time with your child. Your presence alone will be comforting and provide an opportunity to talk about what happened. Some families find worshipping together, meditating, or otherwise spending time together to be particularly comforting at a time like this.

Pediatrician John Cohen said that children will be struggling to deal with the anxiety and fear caused by the attacks.

"This was an attack on the United States," Cohen said. "This was something we have never seen before, and if we have trouble with it and the anxiety of it, our children are going to have it even worse."

Cohen said that parents should be simple and direct with their young children, trying to explain in basic terms what happened.

"If it's a young child, 5, 6, 7 years of age, you need to grade your information down to perhaps, 'Something terrible happened,'" Cohen said. "'People were hurt and killed, and someone is trying to be very mean to the United States. Direct, simple, they can probably understand it."

Older children will need more information from their parents to understand what happened.

"They will probably have to be able to sit down with their parents and talk about why the family is anxious and should they be worried about it. Should they be worried about if something will happen to Daddy when he goes to work?" Cohen said. "Reassure them that you will try to do your best to protect them."

Parents should expect children to aks questions and express concerns following the devastating terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Experts advise parents to be upfront and honest when explaining what has happened.

But they recommend that the information be age-appropriate, handled gently, and be explained in terms children will understand.

"Kids are going to be very concerned about what's going to happen to them and their family," said Harold Fishbein, a child psychologist at the University of Cincinnati. "Tell them, yes, everyone is at risk for something like this to happen to them, but the risk is extremely small."

Also, talk about what is happening in the aftermath of the events.

"Keep children informed of all steps being taken to rescue and help the survivors, and to find the people who are responsible," says Lawrence Balter, a psychology professor at New York University. "Also, invite them to openly express their anxiety and fear, and reassure them that their actions are understandable."