{"id":323,"date":"2020-12-05T10:22:12","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T10:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/?p=323"},"modified":"2021-04-21T15:33:12","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T15:33:12","slug":"how-childrens-mental-health-is-affected-during-a-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/2020\/12\/05\/how-childrens-mental-health-is-affected-during-a-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"How Children\u2019s Mental Health is Affected During A Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><code>By Ayah Alhabbal <\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-sitetext-background-color has-sitetext-color is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery alignright columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-683x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"325\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-scaled.jpeg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/?attachment_id=325\" class=\"wp-image-325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-133x200.jpeg 133w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/8F1B1458-B78F-4AB8-A0BB-E8ED4328F160-scaled.jpeg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color\">   <span class=\"has-inline-color has-sitetext-color\">The Influenza also known as the Spanish Flu was a pandemic that happened in 1918 and lasted until 1920. It killed over 50 million people. The protocols of the Influenza pandemic are very similar to today&#8217;s pandemic, Coronavirus. The Influenza and Coronavirus have similar symptoms. Both pandemics also have same safety measures like, wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, quarantining, and avoiding school or work when possible. With how similar both the Influenza and Coronavirus are it made me wonder, how are children\u2019s mental health during pandemics? And, how can we improve it?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stress and its Effect On Children\u2019s Mental Health <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When children are put in stressful situations (like a pandemic) it can affect their brain in the long term. A study written by NCBI explains that, \u201cIn addition to the stress caused by the pandemic, the parent-child relationship and the relationship between parents also affect the mental health of parents in such a difficult period, and parents\u2019 mental health can further affect children\u2019s mental and physical health, creating a vicious circle.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7387315\/?report=classic\">[1]<\/a> With parents stressing over things like losing income, loved ones, or even teaching their kids from home this reflects onto the child. The CDC research shows, \u201cthe proportion of mental health-related ED visits increased sharply beginning in mid-March 2020 (week 12) and continued into October (week 42) with increases of 24% among children aged 5\u201311 years and 31% among adolescents aged 12\u201317 years, compared with the same period in 2019.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/69\/wr\/mm6945a3.htm?s_cid=mm6945a3_w#F1_down\">[2]<\/a> Children are sensitive to their environment and can pick up on the emotions around them, with them being stuck at home and surrounded by their parents stress it is hard for them to not let these negative emotions affect them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Importance of Children Having Strong Social Skills <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-sitebg-background-color has-text-color has-background\">   Having a child practice and strengthen their social skills is a must if they are wanting a successful future, according to a study written by NCIB \u201cresearch study shows us that young children with more developed social competence skills are more likely to live healthier, successful lives as adults\u2014through the education and jobs they attain and their overall quality of life.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7387315\/?report=classic\">[3]<\/a> School is the environment where most children will practice their social skills. They are surrounded by their peers who can relate to them. According to a study written by International Encyclopedia of the Social &amp; Behavioral Sciences, \u201cthe school is a social institution directly involved in socializing children, although its mandate is more narrowly defined as providing formal education and developing children&#8217;s knowledge and skills. In this sense, schools are less involved in primary socialization (i.e., the development of basic values, motivations, and conceptions of self) and more involved in secondary socialization (i.e., the development of knowledge and skills).\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/computer-science\/child-socialization\">[4]<\/a> Coronavirus has shut down most schools and has had students switch to online learning. This takes away the ability for children to interact with their peers and strengthen their social skills.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Isolation and its Effect On Children&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-1024x696.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-332\" width=\"332\" height=\"226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-1024x696.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-300x204.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-768x522.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-1536x1045.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-2048x1393.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/7C8B74A7-776D-41BD-8C74-3CC744E8C3B5-294x200.jpeg 294w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 332px) 100vw, 332px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color\">   With social distancing in play, children can\u2019t socialize with their friends and they start to feel isolated. The Mayo Clinic explains, \u201cResearch shows that loneliness in kids, especially over extended periods, is linked with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety in the following years.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/coronavirus\/in-depth\/help-kids-cope-with-loneliness-covid19\/art-20490135\">[5]<\/a> They then start to rely on technology to entrain them. This can be very dangerous and children can not only get addicted but also have their mental health affected. As reported by ScienecDirect \u201cWithout the right balance, excessive screen time might result in the aforementioned psychopathological states.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352853220301280\">[6]<\/a> Children will start to forget their social skills and have a hard time in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Can Learn From The Influenza<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color\">   Children in the 1918 Influenza pandemic went through the same emotions as children are right now in the Coronavirus pandemic. According to Psychiatric Time, \u201cIn November 1918, 31,000 children in New York City alone had lost one or both parents. For others, the experience left them feeling a mix of guilt, anger, confusion, and abandonment.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychiatrictimes.com\/view\/spanish-flu-pandemic-and-mental-health-historical-perspective\">[7]<\/a> Many children from the Influenza pandemic grew up to have a mental illness. An article written on The Guardian by Ros Coward tells the story of his grandmother and father experience in Influenza pandemic. According to his article their experience has left some emotional scarring on the both of them. \u201cMany experts are warning that this pandemic will leave a legacy of mental health issues\u2026 Another question was about my grandmother\u2019s daughter, Constance, my father\u2019s baby sister. My grandmother had told me sadly how she\u2019d died of the Spanish flu, but I didn\u2019t know at what age. All I knew was what my father told me. He\u2019d been playing with his toys outside her room when the doctor had emerged to tell them she\u2019d died. He said he\u2019d felt terrible guilt that he\u2019d been lost in his game and hadn\u2019t thought of her. I\u2019d always wondered whether this had been a factor in his own melancholy, his persistent guilt about things he hadn\u2019t done and his generalized anxiety. The ancestry research confirmed she died aged three, when my father was eight, a loss that would have been traumatic for a young boy.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2020\/may\/24\/my-familys-history-reveals-the-terrible-toll-a-pandemic-takes-on-mental-health\">[8]<\/a>&nbsp;In the article Ros also talks about how this experience has also affected him. &#8220;My father\u2019s experience of his sister\u2019s death left him chronically anxious, fearful of where the next disaster would strike, and this was particularly acute around his children. I wish I could say I shrugged it off. But the truth is I picked up a lot of his anxiety, as any child does with an anxious parent.&#8221; This small glimpse into a family&#8217;s life in the Influenza pandemic shows how a pandemic can have serious impacts on not only their own mental health but, their future&#8217;s generation too. By understanding the Influenza and how it mentally affected children we can learn how to improve children&#8217;s mental health.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Can Improve Children\u2019s Mental Health During The Coronavirus Pandemic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-333\" width=\"363\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/files\/2020\/12\/B99A9675-EA1E-4775-95F0-B7118877C4C8-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 363px) 100vw, 363px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color\">   The Influenza pandemic and its affect on children\u2019s mental health is proof of what will happen in the future if we don\u2019t focus on helping children\u2019s mental health during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Mental Health Department has tips that can improve your child&#8217;s mental health during Coronavirus. \u201cIt is important to make time to talk with children when they are worried\u2026 It is important to know what your child has seen or heard about COVID-19 so that you can discuss any worries or misinformation\u2026 If your child asks about something that you do not know, rely upon the CDC&#8217;s information to answer the question in an age-appropriate way. Be honest, but reassuring\u2026 Tell your children that most kids with COVID-19 do not get very sick, but we can help those who could get very sick\u2026 Explain that we can all help by washing our hands frequently and staying home right now to help stop the virus from spreading.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/communities\/mentalhealth\/children\">[9]<\/a> By talking with your child you can reassure them mentally and help them cope with the Coronavirus pandemic. There are also many other resources and tips to help your child cope through this difficult time. Their are many activities your child can do from home that will improve their mental health. There are zoom classes children can participate in that involve fun activities like yoga and interacting with children their own age. Mental health of the growing mind is important and should be focused on. If not it could be detrimental to a child\u2019s future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Work Cited <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Quotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coward, Ros. \u201cMy Family&#8217;s History Reveals the Terrible Toll That a Pandemic Takes on Mental Health | Ros Coward.\u201d The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 May 2020, www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2020\/may\/24\/my-familys-history-reveals-the-terrible-toll-a-pandemic-takes-on-mental-health.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eghigian, Greg. \u201cThe Spanish Flu Pandemic and Mental Health: A Historical Perspective.\u201d Psychiatric Times, 28 May 2020, www.psychiatrictimes.com\/view\/spanish-flu-pandemic-and-mental-health-historical-perspective.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gecas, V. \u201cChild Socialization.\u201d Child Socialization &#8211; an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 2001, www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/computer-science\/child-socialization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leeb , Rebecca T., et al. \u201cMental Health\u2013Related Emergency Department Visits Among Children Aged 18 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic &#8211; United States, January 1\u2013October 17, 2020.\u201d Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 Nov. 2020, www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/69\/wr\/mm6945a3.htm?s_cid=mm6945a3_w.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Montag, Christian, and Jon D. Elhai. \u201cDiscussing Digital Technology Overuse in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond: On the Importance of Considering Affective Neuroscience Theory.\u201d Addictive Behaviors Reports, Elsevier, 9 Nov. 2020, www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352853220301280.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. \u201cHow Children\u2019s Social Skills Impact Success in Adulthood&nbsp; .\u201d Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, July 2015, files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/ED592871.pdf.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tips and Resources for Children and Parents During COVID-19, www.health.state.mn.us\/communities\/mentalhealth\/children.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wu, Mengting, et al. Tips and Resources for Children and Parents During COVID-19, 21 July 2020, www.health.state.mn.us\/communities\/mentalhealth\/children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Images: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miroshnichenko, Tima. \u201cGirl in White Long Sleeve Shirt Wearing White Face Mask.\u201d Pexels, 21 Nov. 2020, www.pexels.com\/photo\/girl-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-wearing-white-face-mask-5951644\/ .&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Studio, Bermix. \u201cLittle Girl Sits on the Windowsill and Looks out the Window.\u201d Unspalsh, 21 June 2020, unsplash.com\/photos\/gF0J_hdazRA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Syrikova, Tatiana. \u201cMother Talking with Small Daughter in Bedroom.\u201d Pexels, 21 Mar. 2020, www.pexels.com\/photo\/mother-talking-with-small-daughter-in-bedroom-3975661\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ayah Alhabbal The Influenza also known as the Spanish Flu was a pandemic that happened in 1918 and lasted until 1920. It killed over 50 million people. The protocols of the Influenza pandemic are very similar to today&#8217;s pandemic, Coronavirus. The Influenza and Coronavirus have similar symptoms. Both pandemics &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"portfolio_post_id":0,"portfolio_citation":"","portfolio_annotation":"","openlab_post_visibility":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-human-experience"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=323"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":572,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323\/revisions\/572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/thinking-historically-about-covid-19\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}