Contents
– The situation was bad, and now, unfortunately, it will be even worse – this is how the mental health of children and adolescents was summed up during this year’s XNUMXth edition of the “Polish Woman in Europe” Conference by Dr. Ewa Odachowska-Rogalska, head of the Department of Clinical Psychology of Children and Adolescents at the Institute of Psychology of the Academy of Special Education.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect children? “We have failed”
– We failed our children, we were not able to be an authority for them, we showed our weaknesses and we did not teach them to deal with emotions – argued the specialist. COVID-19 has affected every aspect of children’s lives, but it has had a particularly strong impact on their psyche. The collapse of the psychiatric care system in the developmental age has long been talked about, and the pandemic has exacerbated the crisis.
The long-term effects of a pandemic in this regard can be broken down into three main problems:
- loosening ties with peers,
- isolation and remote learning, and
- incorrect relations of parents and guardians with children.
The crisis pandemic situation fell on fertile ground: as early as 2019, approximately one in five children in Poland had mental disorders. We do not have new studies yet, but it is known from practice that there are more of these cases.
Further part under the video.
World trends
The difficult situation is all over the world. Data from the UNICEF report from 2021 shows that 17 percent. out of 71 million SARS-CoV-2 infections in 107 countries around the world, they affected children and adolescents up to 20 years of age. 1 in 7 of them were socially isolated for most of the past year, and at least 1 in 3 children, for various reasons, could not participate in remote education. Some students who dropped out of the school system did not have access to equipment enabling remote learning, others were ashamed of the appearance of the family home or the violence present in it.
– According to the data of the World Health Organization, from 10 to even 20 percent suffer from mental disorders. children in the world – said Dr. Ewa Odachowska-Rogalska. In 2017, Poland ranked second in Europe in terms of juvenile suicides. Depressive disorders affect up to 2 percent. children between 6 and 12 years of age; most of them also have comorbid anxiety disorders. Some studies prepared during the pandemic estimate that the number of cases of depression in children and adolescents increased by as much as 37%. All this at a time of a serious domestic crisis in child psychiatry.
Why is this happening?
Children’s mental health cannot be considered in isolation. Their development is influenced by both biological, family and social factors, as well as psychological ones. This complex network of dependencies was additionally strongly influenced by factors related to the pandemic. If even one of the elements does not work properly, the psyche of a child or young person will not develop properly, in a balanced way. As a result, we can deal with emotional disorders (depression, anxiety and self-destructive disorders, suicidal tendencies) or aggressive behavior, i.e. failure to deal with anger.
– The reaction to a crisis situation is an accidental one and can be very different, although we know certain regularities. It is assumed that boys and older children more often react with aggression, while girls and younger children tend to suppress emotions. – pointed out Dr. Ewa Odachowska-Rogalska.
The mental health impact of the pandemic has changed over the course of the pandemic. In the first months, the students were satisfied with distance learning. Parents also devoted more time to contact with their own children. However, more or less from June, everyone began to feel negatively the increase in the workload on-line learning and work. Half of the students assessed distance learning as less attractive, every fourth had problems with acquiring the material. Every second young person noticed the deterioration of peer relations – according to a study by the Institute of Integrated Prevention in April 2020.
- The editors recommend: Generation Q – childhood under the sign of quarantine
In the assessment of the child
In turn, according to a report of the Empowering Children Foundation from September last year, one third of children aged 13–17 described their mental state as bad. During this phase of the pandemic, children complained of fatigue from sitting in front of screens, information overload and incomprehension from parents. Distance learning also disrupted the daily routine, and isolation caused tension and stress.
– Young people were afraid for their health and that of their relatives, they also had problems coping with malaise – said the expert.
The intensification of violence had a very negative effect on the mental condition of children and adolescents. This escalation was most often seen in families with addictions and mental illnesses. It is true that there were fewer notifications initiating the Blue Card procedure, but probably only due to limitations in the operation of social welfare centers. This is confirmed by a significant increase in the number of contacts with the helplines.
What should i do?
– The pandemic causes us to incur a health debt in the mental realm. We will feel its negative impact for many years to come. All unresolved problems will return in the form of mental health disorders or problem behaviors, warned Dr. Odachowska-Rogalska, head of the Department of Clinical Psychology of Children and Adolescents at the Institute of Psychology of the APS.
Improving the mental health of the youngest and strengthening their ability to cope with crisis situations and emotions requires systemic, specialized changes. However, daily preventive activities, such as social campaigns and support for families in building relationships with children, are also important.
The strip material prepared by the Journalist for Health Association in connection with the lecture of Dr. Ewa Odachowska-Rogalska on September 24, 2021, during the 19th National Conference “Polish Woman in Europe”, organized under the slogan Not only COVID-2021! Medicine in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. Authorized statements. November XNUMX.
This may interest you:
- Vaccinating children against COVID-19. Every parent must know this
- Eight traits that prove your emotional intelligence
- Psychologists warn. «Squid Game» can hurt
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.