Ke Xiaoyan arrived in Chengdu on Saturday from Nanjing. She said she feared she may have arrived too late.

As one of three psychologists sent by the Ministry of Health to treat children at Chengdu Children's Hospital, Ke said she should have gone to the hospital right after last Monday's quake.

"Many children are suffering more serious mental problems than I expected," Ke said.

"Here's one," she said, pointing to a boy on a bed.

The boy named Xie Rui, 7, is from the town of Hongbai in Shifang. He suffered a fractured leg and bruises, but more importantly, had lost his mother.

His medical record read: "Not talking to anyone. Nightmares."

But after a 40-minute consultation yesterday, Xie broke into a faint smile and waved goodbye to Ke. "See you aunty," he said in a timid voice.

Ke said it was the second time he had received counseling, "and it proves it works".

During the consultation, Ke played games with Xie, and then gradually asked him to recall what he had undergone.

She asked Xie to describe what it was like being trapped under concrete. The boy did not reply. Then Ke pinched the boy's arm with two fingers, and asked: "Does it feel like this?"

"No," the boy said after a long pause and then pinched himself with three fingers. "It's much heavier, like this."

Ke nodded and told Xie in a gentle voice: "Don't worry. Look, your arm is free now and it can play games again."

Ke said the boy's reactions showed he could gradually come to terms with the tragedy.

Ke said 50 to 70 percent of children who experience such tragedies have psychological problems.

"They should receive treatment as early as possible, or the tragedy could cast a lifelong shadow on them," she said."

But Ke said treatment should be carried out only by trained psychologists.

"We need more professionals here," she said.

Ouyang Xuwei, another psychologist, said the counseling would be long term.

"Disasters like this exert long and deep effects on victims, especially children. They might need counseling for many years," he said.

Ouyang said records have been set up for all the children who appear to be psychologically affected.

"Even after they leave hospital, we'll keep in touch with them," he said.

(China Daily May 20, 2008)