Between mental health problems and violence … the “devastating” effects of an epidemic on children

Children are known to have low exposure to coronavirus infection, and deaths among them from the disease were relatively low worldwide. However, children still fall victim to the virus in many other ways.

From rising rates of mental health problems to concerns about high levels of abuse, neglect and potential harm to their development, the pandemic threatens to have a “devastating legacy” for children, according to the BBC.

School closures shut down life

Of course, school closures are detrimental to children’s education. But schools are not just institutions of learning, they are places where children connect, develop emotionally and, for some, are a refuge from troubled family life.

“When we close schools, we close their lives,” said Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Medicine and Child Health.

He says the epidemic has caused a host of damage to children in everything from isolation and loneliness to problems sleeping and reduced physical activity.

And it looks like it’s not just about school closures, as the strain the epidemic has placed on families, with high levels of unemployment and financial insecurity, combined with stay-at-home orders. , has increased pressure on families around the world. .
Mental health problems are on the rise

Unsurprisingly, there are clear signs that disruptions in children’s lives are affecting their mental health.

The Child and Youth Mental Health in England Report 2020, published by the National Health Service and the National Bureau of Statistics, is the official assessment of the state of children’s well-being. The report has followed more than 3,000 children over the past four years. The results of the latest study, released in the fall, found that one in six children aged 5 to 16 had a potential mental health disorder, compared to one in nine three years earlier. The older girls got the best results.

Children participating in the research cited family tensions and financial problems as well as feelings of isolation from their friends and fear of the virus as the causes of their problems.
Delayed development of children

Some doctors and nurses are concerned about the impact of the pandemic on newborns.

Research shows that the first two to three years of a child’s life are the most important time in their growth and development. This became known as the 1,001 day program. If children encounter problems during this time, they may find themselves in an unstable situation for life.

The Institute for Health Visits says services were severely damaged during the outbreak, with specialist nurses retiring to help on the front lines against Corona. In some regions, the number of health visitors has halved.

This is in addition to social distancing rules which mean for many parents that the only support they received was online. Meanwhile, the absence of naturally developing children’s groups and friendships means children during a pandemic have not benefited from the stimulation of social contact necessary for their development.
Children with disabilities are “imprisoned”

The report notes that there are around one million children with special educational needs and disabilities – around one in 10 of them suffer from complex conditions that limit normal life, such as severe cerebral palsy or cystic fibrosis. .

The nature of the epidemic and the response to it created greater challenges for many of these children and their families.

Those with the most complex conditions may need home care from nurses and caregivers. These services became more difficult to obtain when employees were redeployed or charities were forced to reduce their support networks.

In some cases, children end up being “locked in their homes … few have received any formal education since the lockdown began,” said Christine Linehan, director of the Council for Children with Disabilities.
A pandemic that has made violence “invisible”

For some children, the epidemic has had dire consequences, with growing incidences of harm and abuse.

Between April and September, 285 cases of child deaths and serious incidents were reported, including the sexual exploitation of children. This figure is more than a quarter higher than the same period last year.

England’s Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield fears these numbers are just a small sample of what’s really going on, saying school closures and stay-at-home orders have made a generation of vulnerable children “invisible” to social workers.

Figures show that before the pandemic there were already over 2 million children in England and Wales living in families affected by one of the ‘toxic triads’ – domestic violence, parental drug addiction and alcohol, or serious mental health problems. The fear today is that these numbers will increase dramatically.