Current pandemic has affected the health and well-being of millions of people around the world. Financial, emotional, and physical challenges have all been attributed to this virus. As parents, we want to ensure that our adolescent children’s mental health and overall well-being are in the best shape possible. That is nearly impossible to do when you do not have all of the tools you need. While you cannot control the virus, you can control how you and your child deal with its effects.
Effects on Mental Health
Depression and Anxiety
We could almost write an entire blog post related to the depression, and anxiety parents and teachers are seeing in adolescent students. Suicide ideation and attempt rates are skyrocketing in some places. Children have gone from being with their friends nearly every day to being apart for several months. This will cause them to feel sad at first, but depression is much more than sadness. If children do not have the coping skills or have other risk factors for depression, you could see a change during this time.
Likewise, anxiety is increasing due to many factors. There are no rules for coping, and children are often scared of the bits and pieces of information they hear on the news or read online. Talk to your children about their risk factors and how to protect themselves. Anxiety can often be treated with education. A plan of attack can make all the difference for children.
Stress
Physical and mental symptoms can accompany increased stress. Lashing out, muscle aches, and stomach ailments all increase with stress and anxiety. While your child may not have diagnosable anxiety, this change has undoubtedly been stressful. Help your child reduce stress through exercises and planning.
Sleep Changes
Sometimes depression, anxiety, and stress can cause sleep changes. If your child is sleeping significantly more or less than before, they may be experiencing some of the other symptoms. Unfortunately, sleep changes can increase the risk of illness and decrease focus on schoolwork. Be on the lookout for changes in sleep patterns or quality.
Tips
Friend Time
If your child has a friend who is low risk for exposure, consider working with the other family to have your children spend time together. While you should not be planning large gatherings, you can allow your child to have some time with their friends if they follow proper procedures. Masks and distance are good ideas, but personal hygiene and sanitation are also important. Time with others can be all your child needs to make their time in isolation seem shorter.
Virtual Visits
Have your child spend time with their friends virtually. We are not suggesting that you have them spend time on the computer or playing video games constantly, but we do suggest that you let them play together virtually sometimes. Your child still needs to connect to others. Having them available virtually can help your child’s mental and physical well-being.
Games and Outside Time
Sometimes other families are not comfortable having their children in other people’s homes since the virus began. However, socially distanced outdoor activities and games can be a solution. Scavenger hunts, racecourses, and sports might be the way to go. Not only will your child be getting some social time, but he or she will also be getting the sunshine and exercise necessary for bone and muscle development.
Create a Routine
Routines can help children feel more connected to their regular lives. Currently, everything they know has been turned upside down. Changing their routine was not something you could control, but you can make sure that they have a balanced routine at home. Do not focus everything on school and educational activities. Foster their interests and creative skills as well.
Privacy
Yes, I know that we scream “online safety” every chance we get, but sometimes, you have to let your child be in control. Before the pandemic, your child spent time with their friends, where they could talk privately. Those talks are gone in many cases. Even if you require the video game or computer to be kept in a central location, leave the room and let them have a little privacy sometimes. Surely, there is a closet you could clean or a toilet that needs scrubbing. You do not have to allow them hours, but a little time to just be with their friends is nice too.
Professional Visits
When you are concerned about changes to your child’s mental well-being, and the above does not seem to be responding, you might want to check into working with a professional. Many psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists are trained to work with adolescents specifically. Find a pediatric specialist if you are concerned about the changes to your child’s well-being. Mental health is as important as physical health, and during this time of social isolation, it may be more important. Your child is no longer exposed to germs from the common cold and flu if they are at home, but they cannot just be kids and run, play, or talk with their friends.
Final Thoughts
These suggestions and effects are only a small sampling of the things that may affect your child’s mental health during COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest that you work with your child’s teachers, doctors, and other specialists to develop the best activities for them, but don’t forget to listen to your child. Sometimes all they need is to understand the reason and planning process for their new schedules and environments. Children are much more resilient and empathetic than we realize. They can also understand far more than we tell them sometimes, too. Rather than trying to shield them from everything, consider being open with them about the changes in their lives. Just as you would explain a death, divorce, or significant move, you want to let them know why this life disruption is happening and what it means for them. Listen, offer support, and be patient. No one knows how to deal with this, and it is okay to tell your child that you don’t know. It is often helpful for them to see that they are not the only ones struggling.
