Parents may notice emotional, behavioral changes in kids during pandemic

child on a bicycle at asphalt road in early morning. Boy on bike in the city bike tile kid tile children tile / Getty Images
child on a bicycle at asphalt road in early morning. Boy on bike in the city bike tile kid tile children tile / Getty Images

Q: I can tell the pandemic is affecting my young children. What can I do as a parent to help them get through it?

A: Three million children in the United States have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. This number represents 13% of all cases in the U.S. Fortunately, severe illness and death are uncommon in children.

Although the rates of infection are low, pediatricians are seeing an increase in other diseases that are significantly affecting children. One of these is the impact on mental health. The pandemic has created challenges that have led to many emotional and behavioral changes in children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These include changes in their routines, break in continuity of learning and health care, missed significant life events and loss of security and safety.

You may be noticing some symptoms of emotional and behavioral reactions to stress. Young children may express their fears through withdrawal, behaviors such as irritability and aggression, or vague complaints like stomach pain or headaches. Adolescents may hide their concerns because of fear or shame.

Parents should be mindful of their children's sense of loneliness and isolation and have open and honest conversations about what children are hearing or seeing on the news or their social media. As a parent, you may not have all the answers, but take the time to listen and assure them that you are doing your best to keep them safe and well.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has published several recommendations for how to deliver health care to children during the pandemic, as well as guidelines on best practices to optimize health and well-being. The AAP encourages parents to practice techniques that promote resilience such as mindfulness, relaxation and focusing on the present moment.

For many families, quarantine increased the time families spend together. Embrace those moments in each other's company to play and laugh together. This will be a nice relief from the many stressors imposed during the pandemic. Doing this often helps build skills that encourage greater awareness of their feelings, and feelings of others, that will last beyond the pandemic.

The CDC also has developed a parent toolkit to assist in recognizing mental health challenges that have resulted from the pandemic. If you see concerning changes, talk to your children's pediatrician. As Dr. Cassandra Simms, a local child and adolescent psychiatrist, told participants in a recent Health Equity Forum, "As we progress and continue to check in with our kids regarding their grades, their sports, their friends and their physical health, let's not forget to check on their mental health and how they are maintaining the balance of life."

Fernando Urrego, M.D., is the interim health officer at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department and a member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.

photo Contributed Photo / Dr. Fernando Urrego

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