COVID-19’s Devastating Impact on Children & Youth

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To hide their feelings of unhappiness, anger, abandonment and overwhelming fear, children who grow up without one of their parents can have problems such as:

• Difficulty relating to other children.

• Attention deficit and poor performance at school.

• Emotional emptiness and low self-esteem.

• Emotional problems such as anxiety, depression or aggression.

• Fear of abandonment, which may cause rebellious behavior or social isolation.

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Traumatized children never forget loving parents. Unless treated with loving care, children pay an emotional price ... year after year.

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Covid-19 History & Impact Videos about children is here.

"Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:

• Excessive crying or irritation in younger children.

• Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting.

• Excessive worry or sadness.

• Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits.

• Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens.

• Poor school performance or avoiding school.

• Difficulties with attention and concentration.

• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past.

• Unexplained headaches or body pain.

• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

Talk with your child about the COVID-19 outbreak." ... CDC

'Occasionally being sad or feeling hopeless is a part of every child’s life. However, some children feel sad or uninterested in things that they used to enjoy or feel helpless or hopeless in situations they are able to change.

When children feel persistent sadness and hopelessness, they may be diagnosed with depression. Examples of behaviors often seen in children with depression include

• Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time

• Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things

• Showing changes in eating patterns – eating a lot more or a lot less than usual

• Showing changes in sleep patterns – sleeping a lot more or a lot less than normal

• Showing changes in energy – being tired and sluggish or tense and restless a lot of the time

• Having a hard time paying attention

• Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty

• Showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior

Extreme depression can lead a child to think about suicide or plan for suicide. For youth ages 10-24 years, suicide is among the leading causes of death." ... CDC

"Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the United States, and anywhere from 1 in 10 to 1 in 13 people suffer from anxiety, with about 8% of children and teenagers experiencing an anxiety disorder. This has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are living in more times of stress and anxiety than ever before. The teenage years generally have significant stress and this has worsened during the pandemic."

...  Jennifer Katzenstein, Ph.D., director of psychology and neuropsychology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital,

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"The number of children and teenagers seeking help for anxiety or depression during the pandemic is rising across the country. 

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Orphaned children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking and other exploitation, including sexual exploitation, forced begging, selling goods on the streets, and other child labor. Older children often drop out of school to try to support younger siblings."

Parents don’t always realize how closely teen substance abuse and mental health are linked.

Substance abuse is typically a co-occurring disorder, meaning it occurs in conjunction with a mental health diagnosis.

Because teens often abuse substances as a form of self-medication for emotional pain, that pain must be healed in order for young people to find long-term, sustainable healing.

Therefore, effective teen rehab treatment must address the trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and/or low self-esteem that can lead to addiction in adolescence.

What Are the Next Steps After Identifying Drugs in a Teen’s Room?

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Knowing what drugs look like is only the first step for parents in order to keep their teens safe. If they find drugs in their child’s room or personal belongings, parents need to take the following steps:

1. Find a time to talk with your teen. Rather than being angry or judgmental, let them know how much you love them and that you are concerned for their health and well-being.

2. Ask questions: Where did your teen get the drug? Why did they feel the need to use it? Where and with what friends are they using drugs with?

3. Educate your teen about the harmful impact of drugs on the brain and body, and encourage them to do their own research on the topic so they understand the risks.

4. Set (and stick to) clear consequences should you find drugs in your teen’s possession in the future.

5. Learn more about how your child is feeling in general. While it’s fairly common for teens to experiment with drugs, ongoing substance abuse indicates that they are using drugs to self-medicate emotional pain. A teen may use drugs as an unhealthy coping mechanism for feelings of isolation, lack of self-esteem, or an underlying mental health condition such as anxiety, social anxiety, or depression.

HOW TO CHANGE FROM A NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE MINDSET

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"If your students (or yourself) suffer from low self-confidence, they may be stuck in some negative mindsets that are affecting the way they think about themselves.  Students with special needs can get stuck in a negative mindset leading to a lot of “always” or “never” talk, creating a sense of entrapment and hopelessness. It is important to encourage students to change from a negative to a positive mindset.

HOW CAN THESE MINDSETS BE OVERCOME?

In order to overcome these destructive mindsets that lead to low confidence, it’s necessary to reprogram thought processes. Teach the students to pay attention to negative self-talk and immediately change it to something positive." 

COVID 19 and Children’s Mental Health Tami Benton, MD National Disability Forum April 15, 2021

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COVID 19: Emerging Data on Mental Health

Among children and adolescents across studies

• 22.6%-43% reported depression

• 18.9%-37% reported anxiety

• 31% reported anxiety and depression

•  >50% reported moderate to severe impact on mental health

Save The Children conducted a survey of 1500 households

• 67% of parents reported being worried about their child’s emotional wellbeing

• Half of children reported feeling bored (52%) or worried (49%)

• 52% of children worried that they are not learning enough academically

• 74% of children report concerns about missing out on social activities

MAKE SPORTS AVAILABLE

Mental and Emotional Benefits of Sports for Your Child

Sports activities are a mood-booster. You may have heard that exercise releases hormones like endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin – these are mood-regulating hormones that work together to dispel stress and ...

Game play promotes strategic thinking. Every sport is governed by rules and a key to winning the game. ...

Playing sports teach resilience. Sportspeople are awe-inspiring examples of perseverance. On the physical aspect, they push themselves constantly to become fitter, faster, and stronger every week.

Sports involvement develops sportsmanship. Winning and losing is part and parcel of the sports journey, but what matters more is how people behave when they win or lose.