As images of burning buildings, soldiers in full combat gear and rolling tanks fill America's television screens, experts in child development are warning parents to be aware of the effects the media's coverage of war can have on children.

"Parents should limit their children's viewing of TV," said Lori Marinko, director of the Connections program at Sharon Regional Health System. "Make sure they understand what they see and so they aren't so frightened."

How a child responds to images of war, she said, depends on how they have been brought up. For example, a child who has played many video games could interpret images of war as a cartoon or video game, she said. A child without that exposure, though, could become very scared.

Schools are taking precautions to make sure students, especially younger children, are not exposed to information or images that could be harmful to them.

In Greenville Area School District, Superintendent Dr. Pat Homer said teachers are being careful to make sure children are given information that is appropriate to their development level.

"In the high school, we have televisions on, in social studies classrooms especially, so students can see and talk about what's going on," Dr. Homer said. "But in the elementary grades, we don't want to have TVs on."

Younger children are shown a map of where the war is happening and where the war is in relation to the United States, she said.

"They mostly are told that there is a war going on, but all those people over there are there to protect them and to defend them," she said, adding that it is important not to scare young children or cause them alarm.

The school recently sent home a letter to parents explaining how the school is responding to increased terror alerts. Accompanying the letter, Dr. Homer said, was a guide on how to talk to children about the war with Iraq.

The letter tells parents they should be frank about the war, often stating the obvious and asking their children what they think the war and subsequent increased terror alerts mean. Also, the guide tells parents they should speak in hopeful terms, including assuring children that the government will make decisions to keep children safe.

Other tips on talking to children about war:

   » Make it easy for children to tell you their concerns. Don't assume they are worried; instead, ask them what their friends are worried about.

   » Be honest with your children. Lying to children is not good, but parents can decide how much information their children should be exposed to and when.

   » Limit or eliminate your child's viewing of TV coverage. Some experts say images of war can result in a psychological saturation that can result in symptoms associated with post traumatic stress disorder. Newspapers and radio broadcasts allow people to question or create their own mental pictures, but TV gives children a vivid reality.

   » Empower your children. Ask your children what will help them feel better or safer. Writing letters to service men and women, congressmen or attending rallies could help calm their fears.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Amanda Smith-Teutsch at: ateutsch@sharonherald.com