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In order to thrive, children and adolescents benefit from daily routines, structure and social contact. With schools, parks, recreational facilities, and places of public gatherings closed, children are confined to home leading to isolation from friends, lack of access to their usual sports and leisure activities, and lack of certainty about their future. With social media and family conversations entirely dominated by the pandemic, children could be exposed to large amounts of negative information, some of which may not be factually true, causing high levels of stress and anxiety.
Younger children are at even greater risk, as high levels of stress and social isolation can affect brain development adversely, at times with irreversible long-term consequences. Moreover, children could experience an exaggerated sense of lack of control over the prevailing situation and perceived inability to effectively contribute to change it in a positive way, leading to their continued dependence on adult authority figures whether they are parents or other caregivers for the much needed psychological support. At this crucial juncture, it is extremely important for adult family members to effectively manage their anxiety and model calmness in their behaviour and actions to the extent possible.
Social isolation, being an unfamiliar and unpleasant experience could lead to a wide range of psychological issues such as feelings of sadness or insecurity, constant worrying and rumination, clinginess, irritability, anger, frustration, boredom, loneliness, sleep disturbances and loss of appetite. With limited access to regular interactions with their friends and peers, children are increasingly resorting to social media and online interactive platforms which if left unregulated and unsupervised, have their own pitfalls.
As literatures are emerging from around the globe, we are seeing alarming numbers of mental health issues related to Covid-19 in children.
Studies across the world have shown an increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms. One such rapid review studying the impact of social isolation has concluded acute stress disorder as the most commonly occurring conditions followed by adjustment disorder, grief and post-traumatic stress disorder. They have also stated the direct link between loneliness and the occurrence of mental illnesses as early as nine years.
Parents must help children keep the normal routine at home as it will provide them with a sense of safety and predictability. Adults can enhance children’s sense of belonging by involving children in home decisions and activities (e.g., breakfast time, home-schooling time, playtime). This will make children feel important that they have a “voice” and that they are valued members of the family. Allow children to make appropriate use of technology like online learning and virtual meetings with family and friends to maintain the much-needed social support network.
Finally, there is a need to monitor children’s mental health status over the long-term to see how prolonged school closures, social distancing measures, and the pandemic affect their well-being over time.
(The author is a UK-based psychiatrist)