Among all the things that have happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, the toll it has taken on our mental health is one of the most severe consequence for both children and adults alike. Now that we are into a full year and half of the pandemic, it is time to examine just how serious the mental health impact was on our children.
A new children’s hospital study found that children experiencing toxic levels of stress or trauma are more likely to have a longer-term impact from their COVID experience and require more specialized care.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago recently polled 1,000 parents across the US, focusing on how parents contextualize the impact of the pandemic on their child’s mental health, what choices they regret making and what they have done to constructively address challenges.
The survey started by asking parents about how they feel the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their children’s mental health. 71% of parents who were surveyed said that the pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of at least one of their children. When asked about the status of their children’s mental health, 45% of parents said it has stayed the same. 28% said it is getting worse, while 27% said it was actually getting better.
Parents were next asked what specifically the most unhealthy aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic for their children has been. Listed below are the full results:
1. Social isolation has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (30%)
2. Remote learning has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (27%)
3. Too much screen time has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (22%)
4. Fear of the virus itself has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (11%)
5. The lack of physical activity has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (7%)
6. Frightening news has been the most unhealthy thing for my child during the pandemic (3%)
Parents of the survey were next asked about which pillars of mental health have been the most compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listed below are the full results:
1. My child’s ability to socialize have been compromised (57%)
2. My child’s ability to exercise has been compromised (49%)
3. My child’s ability to eat well has been compromised (41%)
4. My child’s ability to sleep well has been compromised (40%)
5. Varying activity, taking breaks (35%)
6. Talking with parents (15%)
64% of parents believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting effect on their child’s development. 65% believe that they mental health consequences will be greater for children than adults. Despite some of these negative statistics, many parents have seen some positive outcomes come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 87% of parents who were surveyed said that they are spending more quality time with children than they were before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 78% of parents said that they are showing more affection to their children than they did before the start of the COVID- 19 pandemic. 73% of parents say that have relaxed some of the rules with their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. 68% said that they wish they had let their child socialize more, saying they prioritized social distancing too much over the mental health of their child.
What have you tried to better support your child’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Parents were next asked to list the top ways that they have supported their child’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listed below are the top responses from the survey from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago:
1. I have tried to talk more and be more comforting to my child during the COVID-19 pandemic (63% of parents)
2. I have encouraged my child to pursue more hobbies and other fun activities during the COVID- 19 pandemic (56% of parents)
3. I have encouraged my child to get better sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (42% of parents)
4. I have encouraged my child to get more physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic (40% of parents)
5. I have encouraged my child to relax more and practice mindfulness (37% of parents)
6. I have helped my child improve their diet during the COVID-19 pandemic (33% of parents)
7. I have encouraged my child to do more virtual socializing with friends during the COVID-19 pandemic (30% of parents)
8. I have encouraged my child to do more in-person socializing during the COVID-19 pandemic (22% of parents)
55% of parents who were surveyed said their child has at some point used mindfulness or mediation techniques to manage stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. 58% of parents who were surveyed said that they believe their child would benefit from professional help to better manage any mental health challenges they are facing as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those parents have already begun to seek help for their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey also found that nearly 70% of parents believe that they COVID-19 pandemic is the worst thing to ever happen to their child’s mental health. Many of those parents expressed regrets saying they wish they had been more serious about their child’s mental health from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many parents as mentioned above also became more lax about some of the rules they set with their children during the COVDI-19 pandemic. Parents most often cited relaxing screen time rules with their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents were also more flexible with bed times and food related rules.
Not every parenting situation is the same so, many parents have taken different approaches to doing what they believe is best for their child’s mental health. Is it important to talk to your children and monitor any problems that may arise from spending more time at home away from people their own age.
Infographic by: luriechildrens
