These Matches No Game

In the wake of the tsunami, there have been dozens of unconfirmed reports of orphaned children being taken by unidentified people, raising concerns that child-trafficking gangs are taking advantage of the chaos in the regionby kidnapping youngsters.

"It is absolutely very troubling and I think this is a critical time for children," says Carolyn Miles, the chief operating officer of the U.S.-based charity, Save the Children. "They've been through a tremendous trauma and our organization and other organizations are really racing against time at this point to make sure that children are protected," Miles told The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler.

"The biggest issue right now is to make sure we identify these unaccompanied children. Just the other day, we were in a village where we found 700 children who were unaccompanied in Indonesia. So we need to identify these children, make sure they have temporary foster families or foster care in those communities where they are, and then start the tracing process to find their families.

"It is a monumental task, but it is something that has been done and that we know how to do and that other organizations are helping to do as well, so it absolutely can be done. But now is the time when we really need to have people there doing this work, and we do have people on the ground doing this work."

Indonesia has slapped restrictions on youngsters leaving the country, ordered police commanders to be on the lookout for trafficking and posted special guards in refugee camps. Miles applauds moves like that.

"At this point," she says, "we are very eager to have everyone pay attention to this issue, and the government putting these kinds of restrictions on it is a good step, because this is the time where you really have to be finding these children and making sure they are OK and that there are caregivers for these children. So I think those kind of restrictions, at this point, are absolutely appropriate."

Miles says she's gratified by the "overwhelming" outpouring of concern and contributions from Americans and U.S. companies. "But," she adds, "the other thing people can do – I know people here in the United States are also having trouble dealing with this with their own children.

"I have a 3-year-old and she keeps asking me where the big wave is and when it's coming.

"One thing people can do is visit our Web site. We have 10 tips about what you can talk to your children about the crisis."