Moadamiyah al-Sham is one of the most-affected areas in the longstanding conflict in Syria. Years of war have severely damaged healthcare systems, with families struggling to access basic medical care amid poverty and displacement.
Women and children are the most affected—they have limited access to mental health support, parenting resources and safe community spaces that promote resilience and healing, and they need them the most.
With support from the European Union, International Medical Corps continues to work across Syria to restore hope and help families rebuild their lives.
Yazan is a 6-year-old boy who lives with his mother and maternal siblings. His father subjected him to physical violence since he was a year old, following which his mother separated. But the violence continued whenever Yazan visited his father and his family. The fear, anxiety and insecurity led Yazan to develop involuntary nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) and aggressive behavior toward others, both inside and outside the home.
International Medical Corps provides comprehensive medical care in Moadamiyah al-Sham, in addition to psychosocial support services such as group-awareness sessions, child protection (CP) case-management services, including psychotherapy and psychiatric care, as well as programs for prenatal care, early childhood development, rehabilitation and inclusion of people with disabilities, and speech therapy.
When Yazan’s mother learned about the CP case-management services supported by International Medical Corps—through awareness sessions, she sought the advice of a case manager, who registered Yazan in the CP program with his mother’s consent. The case manager conducted a comprehensive assessment and developed an intervention plan. He referred Yazan to a pediatrician to rule out any organic cause for the enuresis. Once confirmed, the case manager began working with Yazan to build his trust through interactive activities that helped him feel safe and comfortable. He developed a safety plan with his mother to protect Yazan from domestic violence during weekly visits to his father. He also conducted awareness sessions for her about the effects of physical and psychological violence on children. Meanwhile, a case manager from International Medical Corps’ Mental Health and Psychosocial Support team developed a reinforcement schedule for Yazan, which has been used as a therapeutic psychological technique to address the enuresis.
Yazan has become better, and he follows instructions. He has stopped hitting or feeling jealous of his siblings. We’re grateful to International Medical Corps for its valuable support.
Yazan's Mother
Since the family environment plays a crucial role in a child’s recovery and psychological stability, we designed structured guidance sessions for Yazan’s mother to help her better understand her son’s aggressive behavior, and strategized ways to address and manage it. She learned how to develop his skills and provide a safe environment where he could play and openly express himself.
Yazan showed signs of improvement from the very first day of receiving psychosocial support. He followed the reinforcement schedule from the first week of implementation until the last session. Creating a safe environment allowed him to express his emotions through activities such as puzzle games, drawing and coloring, playing with animal dolls, storytelling, and introducing emotions through words and connecting them to real-life situations. These activities became the pathways to heal Yazan. He developed healthy ways to cope with fear and anger and regain trust in himself and those around him.
“Yazan has become better, and he follows instructions,” says his mother. “He has stopped hitting, or feeling jealous of his siblings. We’re grateful to International Medical Corps for its valuable support.”
Psychosocial support is a necessity for children who have experienced trauma and faced risks, such as physical violence or abandonment by a parent. Integrated psychosocial support for both the child and the mother paves the way for a healthier and safer future for both.
