Covid has significantly impacted children’s mental health and wellness. According to recent studies, over 59% of parents have noticed a change in their children’s behavior. This is not surprising. There are so many factors currently impacting childre. Stress in the family, social isolation, and difficulty with learning are just a few of these factors.
In my practice, I am currently seeing an increase in both anxiety and depression in students. Much of this is related to school. Last year, most children were doing distance learning. Unfortunately, because of the sudden nature of the pandemic, many schools were not equipped for online learning. This left students with stacks of assignments to complete. Many of these students did not receive feedback from their teachers. Many of the students were tasked with learning in a whole new way last year. Fast forward to this year when many students are back in school. Now they are struggling with a gap in their learning. For example, high school students that did pre-calculus last year, are now realizing they did not understand the concepts from their pre-calculus class. This is in no way a reflection on the teachers. This is simply the world these children were thrown into. Now they are struggling as they try to learn subjects that built on previous concepts that were not fully taught last year. In general, many students struggle with anxiety related to grades. Now, this is amplified because of the situation students found themselves in last year. They are scrambling to catch up. Rates of anxiety are on the rise.
Rates of depression are also rising with students. Students are feeling frustrated, inadequate, stupid. These “mental tapes” are playing in the background, and the students are beginning to believe these “tapes.” Because of the above challenges of distance learning, students are now believing they are stupid or incapable of understanding their assignments. Add to that, many students have returned to school with increased levels of depression from social isolation, and we have a new pandemic on our hands. The pandemic of child and adolescent mental illness.
Elementary children are struggling with anxiety related to both stressors in the home, but also having to navigate social skills that were placed on the back burner during shelter at home orders. Many elementary children are struggling to interact appropriately with their peers. I hear this all the time from my younger clients: “I don’t know how to act.” Or “My friends don’t like me anymore.” Imagine how this experience is internalized for a young child. Those negative tapes get turned on in these young minds, and if not turned off, the child may grow up feeling less than, unloved, unaccepted, etc.
Some students returning to school are struggling with separation anxiety from a caregiver. Many kids have been at home with at least one parent for the past year. While the return to school is wonderful, it can also cause significant stress as the child is separated from the parent they have spent the last year with.
It is also important to look at how schools are handling positive COVID cases in the classroom. Numerous kids have returned to school, only to have a classmate test positive for COVID, and then find themselves quarantined for 10 days. This cycle can repeat over and over in a school. Personally, I have several clients who have been able to return to school for 2 or 3 days, only to be sent back home for 10 days due to a positive case in their classmates. This uncertainty about schedule and routine is wreaking havoc on mental health. Structure and routine are vital for children and adolescents, and the uncertainty during this time is very unsettling for many children.
While I don’t have the right answers about what should happen, I do know that the past year has been incredibly damaging to many children. We must prepare to help the children in our lives. If you are a parent or caregiver, be on the lookout for the following concerning behaviors:
- Complaints of stomach or headaches—often indicative of anxiety
- Nightmares or difficulty sleeping
- Avoiding activities, the child once enjoyed—this includes spending time with friends
- Changes in appetite
- Outbursts, temper tantrums, and large mood swings
- Withdrawal, sadness, or sullenness
- Refusal to attend school or leave a caregiver
- Self-harm statements or self-harm gestures (cutting, scratching, head banging)
This past year has been hard on everyone. As things slowly begin to head towards normalcy, it’s important to remember that it will still be some time before we reach our pre-pandemic normal. Children are struggling. Please support the children in your life. Be aware of how children have been affected. If you notice any of the above behaviors, or are concerned about your child, please seek professional help.
To Health, Hope, and Healing
Krista