Children and young people are also often afraid for their parents and grandparents. And although they themselves only very rarely fall seriously ill with a Sars-CoV-2 infection, some of them also fear for their own health.
All of this places a huge emotional burden on children and young people during the pandemic – and is not without consequences: Mental health problems have risen sharply among them during the pandemic. Around 77% were more stressed during the first and second lockdowns than before, according to a survey of 1,000 children and young people and their parents. Around a third of them reacted with behavioral problems and mental disorders.
Social background also determines the psychological consequences
Children who grow up in a stable home and receive help from their parents have generally come through the pandemic well so far.
However, young people from socially disadvantaged families have often fared less well: They have fewer places to retreat to due to smaller homes. Not all of these children have laptops and similar devices that are necessary for digital learning.
But the hardest hit are those minors who are exposed to lovelessness or abuse during lockdown. They no longer have a place to retreat to. No one notices the consequences of abuse due to a lack of contact.
Symptoms
How do the psychological effects manifest themselves?
- Anxiety: Experts have noticed in particular that anxiety has increased among children and young people.
- Depressive mood: If the anxiety lasts longer, it can turn into a depressive mood, with a depressed mood, withdrawal and loss of interests and pleasure.
- Behavioral disorders: Some children and adolescents react with behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness.
- Psychosomatic symptoms: Some offspring experience psychosomatic symptoms such as stomach aches or headaches.
- Eating disorders: In the corona year, the number of adolescents being treated for an eating disorder has risen.
- Sleep disorders: Another common consequence of mental stress is sleep disorders. Parents are already observing problems with the youngest children falling asleep and staying asleep.
- Weight gain: Although it is not a psychological disorder, it can exacerbate existing psychological problems.
Whether the corona pandemic will have long-term effects on the general development of children and adolescents remains to be seen.
Causes
However, other reasons for a deterioration in the mental state of children and young people are also of a physical nature – for example a poorer diet and too little exercise. Up to 40 percent of children and young people were no longer active during lockdown due to a lack of sports clubs and leisure activities.
Tips for coping – what helps?
There are a whole range of factors that help people to remain mentally stable during the pandemic. They are good for children and young people as well as adults.
Structure: Humans are creatures of habit. A life without routine is both stressful and paralyzing. Therefore, structure your day and that of your children, especially in times of coronavirus: When do they study, when do they have free time? When do they eat and when is there a short sports program? And when and for how long do they consume media? Create a plan for this together with your children.
Exercise: Speaking of sports programs: exercise is a natural stress killer. Exercising reduces stress hormones. Afterwards, your mood will have climbed several points on the happiness scale. Take a family walk, for example. If children are bored, you can also spice things up with games such as “I see what you don’t see.”
Joint activities: Many families have rediscovered joint activities during the pandemic. Board games, singing, arts and crafts and cooking together are also fun for the little ones. The latter especially when everyone gets to decide what’s on the table.
Grief box time: You should also schedule time for conversations in which you ask your children how they are doing and what is perhaps particularly bothering them at the moment. Think together about what you can do if necessary to make the child feel better again.
Encourage positive thoughts: There is always bad news during the pandemic. Even the little ones are aware of this – and the older ones even more so. Instead of letting negative feelings get you down too much, you can focus your attention on positive things. For example, in an evening ritual: three things that were nice that day. Or talk about experiences like the last time you went to the zoo, which was so nice.
Explain what is going on: Children notice when their parents are worried – and they are less anxious if they understand why some things are not possible at the moment. Explain to your child in simple terms why they can’t go to nursery at the moment or why everyone is walking around wearing a face mask.
Be a role model: Take the tips to heart yourself. The more calmly and confidently you deal with the situation yourself, the better your children will cope. And you will also be a good role model.
