The coronavirus pandemic will leave a lasting impact on our nation and continues to affect those who are most vulnerable during this difficult time. As a result of the measures state governments have taken to control the spread of the virus, thousands of businesses and restaurants have shut down indefinitely. People have also lost their jobs and many schools and universities have closed their classrooms and are operating remotely for the foreseeable future.
Many experts are wondering if the coronavirus pandemic could also have long-term mental health effects on children, especially those who already struggle with psychological disorders or live with difficult household situations, including poverty or abusive family members. In conjunction with these environmental stressors, the uncertainty and chaos the pandemic brings could thus put children at risk for years to come.
Children are experiencing disruptions in their everyday lives now more than ever. At home, kids may be seeing their parents and family members under immense stress or overhearing unsettling news about what is happening in their communities and across the nation. Many children are also isolated from their peers and lack the routine and structure prior to the pandemic outbreak --- like going to school, attending sports practices, or visiting friends’ houses.
Children may not be able to engage in their favorite activities or celebrate significant life events, which can be incredibly confusing and may make it difficult for them to process how the world is changing. They are also deprived of opportunities to de-stress outside the home and form friendships with other children that could help them cope with the added stress. Now, children have to adjust to this new way of life, which includes wearing a face mask whenever they leave their homes, maintaining a physical distance from other people, and participating in distance learning.
“Kids may experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and insecurity due to social and emotional isolation, as well as an overall uncertainty of what changes the pandemic will bring next”
This drastic shift in everyday life may have a tremendous impact on children’s emotional well-being. Kids may experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and insecurity due to social and emotional isolation, as well as an overall uncertainty of what changes the pandemic will bring next. The concept of a virus spreading uncontrollably may also be scary for children to comprehend. Even with precautions in place, kids may be scared that they, or their family members, will contract coronavirus upon leaving their homes to go out in public.
Children who are quarantined for long periods of time may be feeling the opposite effects and emotions, such as restlessness, agitation, and even insomnia. Staying cooped up indoors, especially alongside siblings and parents, can feel suffocating and may leave a lasting impact on their mental health as they grow up.
To combat the potential mental and emotional effects children may face, the CDC has put together a COVID-19 resource kit that includes tips and activities caregivers can explore to better support their children. These include creating time and safe spaces to listen to your child’s concerns and implementing and maintaining daily routines.
Circumstances brought on by the pandemic may also be affecting children’s physical well-being and safety. One of the major effects that families have experienced as a result of the pandemic involves financial insecurity. Parents or caregivers who lost their jobs and lack a source of income may be struggling to meet their family’s basic needs, such as paying for groceries and toiletries, and ensuring that household bills are paid for. Now that a majority of schools are operating from home, parents may also have to take on additional expenses, including technology, WiFi, and school supplies.
Another result of quarantine orders that have become more apparent as the pandemic continues to shake our nation is that staying home does NOT guarantee safety for everyone. Many children and young people are trapped indoors with abusive family members, or in households with histories of violence, neglect, and other physically or emotionally abusive behaviors. With so many schools and daycares physically closed in the fall, many children are left in vulnerable situations with nowhere to escape to or seek help from.
Hostile home environments are particularly dangerous now that safety nets provided by mandatory reporters at schools, churches, and other facilities are gone. Teachers and other mandated reporters were once able to inquire more about physical or emotional signs of child abuse in person, but stay-at-home orders are causing many cases to go unreported even when the abuse is occurring. Fortunately, many schools are maintaining virtual classrooms this coming school year, so children are not completely cut off from teachers and other school personnel going forward.
Parents and guardians are also feeling the pressure as the coronavirus rages on. Those who have lost their jobs, lack the technology or means to transition to remote work, or are unable to return to physical work environments may be experiencing intense anxiety from financial insecurity. This added stress can raise tension in households and create even more toxic environments for children and family members.
Without parents going to work and children going to school and other extracurricular activities, families are feeling more isolated than ever and many are unable to seek help when they need it. In the face of nationwide closures and social distancing precautions brought on by COVID-19, there are still options for families who are struggling to maintain safe households for their children or are quarantined with potentially abusive family members.
Advocacy centers, child protective services, and legal centers across the nation are adapting to the needs of families and the regulations of the pandemic. Though many law offices and family courts may not be allowing in-person visits, individuals and families who are suffering in their homes can seek protective orders and other means of reporting abuse other means of reporting abuse online or over the phone.
Other organizations, like Prevent Child Abuse America and the Child Mind Institute, are aimed to help parents and caregivers cope with the stressors of coronavirus and create safe households for children amid the pandemic. The Exchange Family Center works to ensure that children and their families are healthy and safe, both emotionally and physically, during this incredibly stressful time. Through proven counseling, coaching, and training, the EFC aims to equip parents and guardians with the tools they need to take care of their children as the pandemic rages on.