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Effects of COVID-19 on Children’s Mental Health

Introduction

The highly infectious COVID-19 virus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and

rapidly spread globally. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) affirmed

COVID-19 as a worldwide pandemic. The declaration led to a sequence of events where

countries enforced national lockdowns, workplaces and schools closure, and enforcement of

different health actions, such as social distancing and cancellation of public gatherings. In March

2020, many school districts began transitioning to online learning. After a while, the U.S

gradually lifted its lockdown measures where some schools reopened. This situation of imposing

and lifting restrictions in the U.S continues to be a frequently changing situation. However, there

was a disruption to the children’s regular routines due to the new rules and measures for their

protection against the disease-such as wearing masks in class and transitioning to online

schooling. Potential interruptions of the children’s mental well-being include increased social

isolation, family conflict, reduced physical activity, difficulty adjusting to online education,

increased sedentary behavior and screen time, and reduced access to mental health care services.

Research from various studies has shown that the fear of the virus and the measures due

to the pandemic have negatively impacted children’s mental health. Moreover, the illness and

death of the children’s relatives due to the virus also increased their anxiety, fear, and stress

level, affecting their mental health. These traumatic events often lead to advanced levels of

trauma and stress because of the lack of emotional support or coping mechanisms. Research

before the pandemic shows that approximately 14 to 25% of children face psychological distress
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(Bussières et al., 2021). The recent disruption to the children’s regular routines and social

isolation due to school closures and measures allocated by the government to control the spread

of the virus has increased the negative mental health consequences in children. Kids experience

more effects of the pandemic since they have different emotional, cerebral, psychosocial

development intensities and limits than adults.

Even though most children do not experience loneliness due to school closures as they

get to be more close to their parents, the parents, on the other hand, are faced with the overload

of working at home and taking care of their children. The overwork puts these parents under

nerve-wracking conditions increasing the risk of children experiencing emotional and social

consequences (Crescentini et al., 2020). Moreover, due to school closure and lockdown

measures, children spend more time indoors since they cannot play with their peers outdoors,

meaning that they spend more time watching or playing games on the screen. Figueiredo et al.

(2021) elaborate on the importance of sunlight exposure among children concerning their mental

health. The lockdown period may limit children from proper sunlight exposure leading to

negative consequences on their psychological health.

COVID-19 pandemic also affected the children’s physical activity since the lockdown

denied children access to school-related physical activities like recess and physical education,

which significantly impacts their mental health. Recent research has shown that most U.S.

children fail to attain the recommended Physical Activity Guidelines. Besides, approximately

half of these children engage in many hours of screen time- a behavior that negatively affects

their mental health. The percentage increased through the COVID-19 epidemic as children were

forced to stay indoors during the lockdown, indicating an increase in children’s adverse mental

health consequences. It is unclear how closures and restrictions related to the pandemic have
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affected the children’s physical activity participation. This lack of clarity is because the

cancellation of activity classes inspired private coaches to develop physical activities streamed

online through different applications.

Children may have more free time for physical activity at home without classes and

lessons. However, there are many disparities from household finance to access to digital

technology that limits physical activity opportunities to most children. Generally, the children in

the U.S engaged in less physical activity due to the pandemic-related closures and lockdown.

During the pandemic, the closure of schools separated the children from their friends, hindering

them from accessing communal support to preserve and improve their psychological well-being.

In addition, although children perceive changes, they may find it difficult to understand these

changes, which often results in anger and irritability. These children demand attention from their

parents, which adds more pressure since they also have to work from home.

During the lockdown, children experienced exposure to various forms of violence

concerning racism and ethnicity. They witness police brutality, among other sources of unrest in

the United States, through multiple media coverages. An example of police brutality during the

pandemic was George Floyd’s death after a police officer held his knee on his neck. On May 25,

2020, various media outlets and social media platforms reported his death, which resulted in riots

and protests. Since the children were home and were restricted from going outside due to the

pandemic, increased screen time exposed them to these media coverages and news. This kind of

exposure to violence in the country traumatized them, resulting in elevated anxiety levels,

affecting their psychological well-being. In addition, some of these children lived in these areas

affected by police violence. Thus, as police-related killings occurred during the pandemic, these

children endured more stress and anxiety. Children were also exposed to violence in the form of
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cyberbullying. Children used various educational platforms that required online interactions

through posts and comments, increasing their connection to online peers. This increased the

chances of cyberbullying. Generally, this online violence has led to adverse psychological health

outcomes in children with various behavioral changes.

Other than the violence they were exposed to through media coverages and social media

platforms, the children were also exposed to domestic violence that led to adverse mental health

outcomes, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Domestic violence dramatically increased

during quarantine and social distancing, exposing children to negative psychological health

issues. The COVID-19 period restrictions resulted in job losses, strained finances, and de-

attachment to social support systems. These kinds of circumstances have unfortunately fostered

domestic violence. Children themselves are also vulnerable to neglect and physical abuse from

their parents because of their parents’ elevated stress level during the lockdown period. These

parents may also resort to violence to respond to the children’s anxious behavior. During the

lockdown, this kind of violence resulted in families spending more time together, increasing

tension. Moreover, the lockdown has restricted child-protective organizations from accessing

every child in their home, thus making them vulnerable to domestic violence with adverse

mental health effects.

Generally, most children’s psychological health is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, children with neurodevelopment disorders like ADHD and anxiety disorders, chronic

health conditions, or other pre-existing mental disorders may be at increased risk of negative

mental health consequences. These children may be more at risk because of the changes in

routines and limited access to healthcare caused by the pandemic. The changes include reducing

access to formal and informal supports and the inability to attend schools to cultivate their
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mental well-being. The impact of these changes caused by the pandemic may include increases

in anxiety, mood swings, emotional arousal, lack of sleep, and aggression in children with

neurodevelopment disabilities. The pandemic also posed extra challenges in addressing the

frequent health requirements of children with neurodevelopment disabilities due to healthcare

and service delivery changes. Health services closing down may limit these ill children from

accessing routine standard health care.

Moreover, their families may be hesitant to visit healthcare amenities for fear of

contracting the virus. This lack of access to healthcare amenities leads to deterioration of the

existing symptoms, further worsening the mental health state in children with neurodevelopment

disorders. Although emerging evidence links anxiety and depression caused by the pandemic to

the general children population, its effect on children’s psychological health with

neurodevelopment incapacities is limited. Therefore, even though it is essential to analyze the

impact of pandemic-related health measures on children’s mental well-being, it is also necessary

to identify the children at a greater risk of facing the adverse mental well-being outcomes of the

pandemic to support them adequately.

Research Questions

1. What are the effects of COVID-19 on children’s mental health?

2. How can mental health issues be mitigated among children during and after a pandemic?

Literature Review

Social determinants of mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have led to increased food and housing insecurity

and a rise in poverty in the U.S. School closures caused by the pandemic have dramatically
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impacted children’s mental health, especially those facing adverse social determinants. In their

research, Abrams et al. (2022) define the effects of social elements of health on the outcomes of

COVID-19 among children and its influence on their long-term mental health. This research

obtains the results that children face more adverse social determinants due to the pandemic. The

case is often worse for children living in poverty. This research also observes an increase in child

abuse often associated with increased reports of abuse-related injuries during the pandemic. In

addition, the study realized a dramatic rise in food insecurity among children. It linked it to

reduced access to school foods, elevating food prices, and unemployment risks during the

pandemic. Abram et al. (2022) proved that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased home

insecurity, with the country witnessing the need for 400,000 beds in shelter centers. The

additional bed shelters are necessary to accommodate vagrant families during the pandemic.

Their study also reveals that the U.S has seen a threefold increase in food insecurity during the

pandemic, with 2 in 5 homes having food-insecure children. The research adds that behavioral

issues such as anxiety among children are linked to food insecurity, a social determinant of

health. This research concludes by indicating the importance of social determinants of health and

why the government should prioritize considering them in pandemic research, vaccination

objectives, and the implementation of economic policy.

In their research, Figueiredo et al. (2021) also relay how the pandemic has exposed social

inequality and how social isolation brought about domestic violence and children mistreatment

caused by parenthood inabilities. Their research adds that the trauma caused by these social

determinants during the pandemic can induce long-term effects on brain development hence

negative mental health consequences. Masi et al. (2021) agree with the above research by

studying parents of children aged 5 to 18 years. Their research reveals that the declining well-
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being of the parents, child maltreatment, and domestic violence during the lockdown period

constitutes adverse mental health effects in children with neurodevelopment disabilities.

Dunton et al. (2020) also demonstrate how social determinants such as poverty have

limited children from accessing physical activity even at home since they cannot access digital

technology that provides online or recorded physical activity programs. In their research, Abrams

et al. (2022) also focus on poverty as a social determinant of children’s psychological well-being

during the pandemic. Their study reveals that 30% of children were not participating in online

classes during the pandemic. The study linked this data to poverty, i.e., these children lacked

access to online classes in their poverty-stricken homes. The study also adds that children with

chronic diseases and pre-existing behavioral defects compounded with poverty are at higher risk

of adverse effects of COVID-19 on their psychological health since they lack access to health

care.

Meade (2021) describes racism as a social determinant of psychological well-being in

children through the pandemic. The researcher explains that many children were exposed to

forms of violence and racism through the video and media coverage of George Floyd’s death at

the hands of the police. Within the United States, the COVID-19 epidemic has also led to

disproportionate impacts on children concerning ethnicity and race. Abrams et al. (2022) also

compounds violence as a social determinant of children’s mental health through the pandemic.

Other than domestic violence, the article elaborates more on online bullying and violence

associated with systemic racism and concludes that they have had adverse effects on children’s

mental health. According to this literature, social determinants of health such as poverty, online

and domestic violence, and racism have primarily impacted children’s mental health during the

COVID-19 pandemic.
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Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior

Physical activity among children is vital for their mental health and development. In the

U.S., children fail to meet the required physical activity levels due to the closure of parks schools

and the termination of their sports caused by the pandemic. This deprivation of physical activity

has led to adverse mental health consequences among children. Dunton et al. (2020) examined

the pandemic’s effects on PA and sedentary behavior among children in the U.S. This research

reviewed the parents and authorized guardians of these children aged 5-13-years old by assessing

their children’s preceding day’s PA and sedentary behavior. The study reported that parents

relayed changes in PA and inactive behavior levels among their children from before and during

the pandemic. Approximately 36% of the surveyed parents said their child had engaged less PA

during the early pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period. Ceylan et al. (2021) also explored

the impact of COVID-19 on children’s physical and psychological health. The results from their

study showed an increase in children’s screen time and a reduction in their PA during the

COVID-19 period, and an increase in the children’s body mass by a 3.87 kg average. During the

pandemic, their parents portrayed their children as angrier and tenser.

Similarly, Masi et al. (2021) explain that other than the stipulated direct mental health

impacts, increased screen time and lack of PA due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19

pandemic may indirectly impact mental well-being through sleep problems and obesity. This

research used a survey where 300 caregivers responded to questions on the well-being of their

children. More than 9 out of 10 caregivers responded that COVID-19 changed their children’s

routines, resulting in reduced exercises and sleep as they spent most of their time engaging in TV

and social media.

Meade (2021) also researches the mental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children

and explains the factors contributing to these mental health symptoms. This research includes

screen time and lack of PA as sources of psychological health disorders during the pandemic and

indicated that most parents reported excessive screen time use by children. The study also linked

reduced PA to elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Lastly, Fegueiredo et al. (2021) reveal

the importance of sunlight during physical activity concerning psychological functions. In their

research, they also relay various measures on reducing the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on

the children’s psychological functioning. These different research sources reveal the drastic

changes in children’s PA and sedentary behavior during the lockdown, its adverse on their

mental health, and actions the government needs to take to reduce these impacts.

Children with neurodevelopment disabilities

Surveys have shown that families with children with neurodevelopment disabilities found

it more challenging to manage their children’s mental well-being and behavior during the

pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions have significantly impacted children with neurodevelopment

disabilities concerning their symptoms and mental health. Some of these studies under review

have depicted worsening in these children’s symptoms due to various reasons, such as limited

access to healthcare services. Masi et al. (2021) explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

mental health and physical well-being of children, i.e., about symptoms of neurodevelopment

disability in children. This research used support groups and disability service providers to

distribute an online survey. The caregivers of children with neurodevelopment disorders or

chronic disorders were requested to answer inquiries on child well-being and symptom severity.

The study required the caregivers to report their child’s neurodevelopment disability diagnosis

followed by any diagnosed psychological conditions. 64.5% of the caregivers who responded
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registered the deteriorating state of a child with neurodevelopment disabilities, and 76.9%

reported an impact on the child’s psychological health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The

research further specified that 64.5% of the caregivers reported worsening anxiety disorder

symptoms, 64.2 % reported worsening Tourette Syndrome, and 60.2 % reported worsening

ADHD symptoms. In addition, 76.9% of the caregivers who responded reported an impact on

their child’s mental well-being during the lockdown, with the symptoms being worse for children

with neurodevelopment disabilities. This research links the vulnerability of children with

neurodevelopment disabilities during the lockdown to drastic routine changes and limited access

to healthcare amenities. It further outlines the dependency of neurodevelopment deficient

children on health services, families, and support, workers-therefore proving how the lockdown

has had more impact on them.

Panda et al. (2021) researched to analyze recent studies that depict the COVID-19

pandemic’s effect on children’s mental health with pre-existing behavioral defects. This research

explores a study that involved 533 French children and teenagers with behavioral defects during

the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 34% of the children under investigation depicted no

improvement in behavior and even behavioral worsening, whereas about 31% had a significant

improvement in behavior (Panda et al., 2021). Their study involved various articles and

measurement tools in providing a clear picture of how children with pre-existing behavioral

issues are at higher risk of adverse psychological health consequences. This research also

stipulates the importance of the government developing strategies in health care centers to

mitigate the impacts of the lockdown on children’s psychological well-being.

The above resources researched the impact of the lockdown on the psychological well-

being of children with neurodevelopment disabilities and existing chronic conditions. Their
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results reveal that these children are more vulnerable to the adverse mental well-being outcomes

of the lockdown. Further analysis of these resources shows elevated levels of symptom severity

in the vulnerable children, proving that they should be given more attention to control these

adverse effects.

Altogether, these pieces of literature provide precise analysis on the subject of the

COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on children’s mental health. These sources study the children and

their parents and conclude that the lockdown has not only affected the general public but has also

significantly affected the children’s psychological health. The research sources illustrate the

mental health symptoms in children due to the lockdown as including anxiety, stress, depression,

and short-temperedness. These pieces of literature provide various contributing factors to these

adverse mental health outcomes. These contributing factors are reducing PA and sedentary

behavior and social determinants such as poverty, domestic violence, racism, food insecurity,

and child maltreatment. These sources also indicate the urgency with which the government

needs to address the mental health issues in children due to the COVID-19 pandemic before it

becomes uncontrollable.

Methodology

To develop a better insight into the topic at hand, it was necessary to implement

qualitative research. This is so because it was the best way to obtain information from the

scholarly articles that give more information about the implications of COVID-19 on children's

mental health. The articles reviewed in this study were obtained from a particular journal,

PubMed. The research was done using specified search terms to find articles with subject-

specific information. Below are the different search terms used in obtaining information from the

different articles:
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The first article used in this research was 'the COVID-19 pandemic: adverse effects on

the social determinants of health in children and families'. To obtain this article from the

PubMed journal site, the search terms used were adverse effects of covid 19 on children. Another

search term used in this research was the impact of covid 19 on children's mental health meta-

analysis, and these yielded two articles. The first one was 'consequences of the COVID19

pandemic on children's mental health: a meta-analysis' and 'psychological and behavioural

impact of lockdown and quarantine measures for COVID19 pandemic on children, adolescents

and caregivers: a systematic review and meta-analysis'. Additionally, the search terms 'effects of

restrictions on children during covid 19 pandemic' brought up one article titled 'investigation of

the effects of restrictions applied on children during covid19 pandemic'. The other search term

used in finding articles relevant to this research was the effects of covid 19 and children

internalizing symptoms. The above terms resulted in finding one article titled 'stuck outside and

inside: an exploratory study on the effects of the covid 19 outbreak on Italian parents and

children's internalizing symptoms'. In addition to that, these search terms were also used; 'covid

19 pandemic impact on children and adolescents mental health' and one article was found:

'covid19 pandemic impact on children and adolescents' mental health: biological, environmental

and social factors'. Another search term used in obtaining information for this research is 'effects

of covid 19 on children's physical activity in US', and one article was found, 'early effects of the

covid 19 pandemic on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children living in the US.

Furthermore, one article was found using this search term, 'challenges of covid 19

pandemic children and adolescents mental health and domestic violence'. It was titled 'challenges

and burden of the coronavirus 2019(COVID 19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental

health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long
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return to normality'. Another search term that proved effective in this study was 'impact of covid

19 on children with disabilities'. One article, 'impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the wellbeing

of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their parents', is found. With the search

terms' mental health effects of covid 19 on children', one article titled 'mental health effects of

the covid19 pandemic on children and adolescents: a review of the current research' was

discovered. The last search term used in this research was 'impact of covid 19 on children

obesity, over nutrition and undernutrition'. With this, one article was found; 'a hidden side of the

covid 19 pandemic in children: the double burden of undernutrition and over nutrition'. It is true

to assert that the research was made possible courtesy of the aforementioned articles. The use of

the search terms stated above led to the discovery of these articles with necessary information

regarding the subject at hand. To determine the accuracy of the information obtained from the

articles, each article was analyzed to point out the dependent and independent variables. The

analysis was also crucial in developing the findings and results of the research. The analysis

mentioned above is tabulated in Appendix A, which depicts a comparison chart showing the

above information.

Results

Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has created unimaginable challenges for children,

teenagers, and families worldwide. This virus, first discovered in Wuhan, China, in December

2019, has prompted 23,440,774 cases of COVID-19 in the United States (as of January 16, 2021)

and has caused more than 390,938 US deaths. Pandemic-related school and business closings

and local area lockdowns have fundamentally affected families. The earliest worldwide

lockdowns in China, around January 23, 2020, comprised of limitations for schools and social

events. This factor brought about children being subjected to online schooling. According to
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local socialization restrictions in the US, many school districts advanced to online learning in

March 2020. From that point forward, individual communities and states inside the United States

have moved forward to force and lift limitations in response to the COVID-19 upsurge. The

present circumstance has and still is a continually evolving circumstance, with new challenges

coming up and happening gradually.

Studies depict the significance of quarantine and social segregation to contain the spread

of the infection and the over-load experienced in healthcare systems. Contrarily, the implication

of such long-lasting social isolation on children and adolescents is barely addressed. In addition,

attention is drawn to the multi-layered and heterogeneous element of this pandemic which adds

new issues and challenges to the populace. It is also drawn to how this COVID-19 pandemic

might elevate previous challenges and issues in individuals' lives, reaching out to the broader

range of the biopsychosocial system. In this, we brought components for a complete

conversation around the neurobiology changes set off by the pressure brought about by the

various aspects of COVID19 flare-up.

Studies focusing on the indirect implications of the COVID-19 crisis on nourishment and

way of life in children are still rare and were mostly done in high or middle-income countries.

During three weeks of home isolation, an Italian survey of 41 obese children aged 6-18 years

was conducted. It showed that consumption of potato chips, red meat and sweet beverages

expanded exponentially during the lockdown (P-value range: 0.005 to < 0.001), while time spent

in sports exercises was reduced by 2.3 (±4.6 SD) hours/week (P = 0.003) and screen time moved

up by 4.8 (±2.4 SD) hours/day (P < 0.001). A global review was conducted in Italy, Spain, Chile,

Colombia, and Brazil. The 820 youths depicted a significant increase in the utilization of junk

food during COVID-19 restrictions with more adherence to unhealthy food among children born
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in illiterate families. Another Italian study led during the lockdown included 3533 respondents of

ages ranging between 12 and 86 years. The section of the population aged 12-17 showed an

increase in junk food consumption and a lower adherence to the Mediterranean eating routine

than the individuals under the age range of 18-30. In the United States, 1048 families signed up

for a school-based nutrition program responded to an electronic survey covering four geographic

regions. Ideally, 93.5% of respondents announced being food insecure in April 2020, contrasted

with 71.5% in fall 2019, and 41.4% revealed a decline in vegetable consumption since the

Coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the gradual lifting of the COVID 19 restrictions and a few schools being allowed

to operate, children's ordinary routines were severely disrupted with the inclusion of new

guidelines in the system, such as wearing masks in class or transiting to learning on the web or

rather a hybrid tutoring (rather than in-person learning). Arising research has recommended that

these different restrictions, and the feeling of fear toward the actual virus, may have made

children experience negative emotional wellness implications. Such an assertion comes from the

fact that in non-pandemic settings, pervasiveness studies indicate that 14 to 25% of children

experience psychological distress. The significant interruptions in children's ordinary routine,

such as school closures and lockdown measures put in place for a long time, notwithstanding the

social isolation and depression related to lockdown measures, poses the risk of adverse negative

implications on the children's mental health, which is in turn depicted on a population level. A

few children might be more in danger, for instance, those with a neurodevelopmental problem or

physical disability (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and autism spectrum

disorder [ASD], cerebral palsy). In addition to that, those with ongoing health conditions (e.g.,

diabetes, obesity) or other psychological disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders) also stand to be
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affected. Specifically, these children might be particularly disadvantaged in confronting the

impacts of the pandemic by its effects on admittance to medical care resources and encouraging

groups of people. Hence, it is vital to explain the effect of pandemic-related general health

measures on children's psychological and mental wellbeing, distinguish which children are at

more risk of adverse results, and devise ways to help them.

This review is directed to determine the impacts of challenges imparted on children due

to the COVID-19 pandemic and the practices applied by parents to adapt to these impacts. It was

found that the kids appeared more nervous and stressed, with almost 50% of them showing signs

of increased weight and screen use during the lockdown period of the pandemic. Furthermore, it

was resolved that the kids who had experienced an individual found to have COVID-19 had a

relatively regular diet and were more likely to adhere to cleanliness guidelines than the people

who had not experienced an individual diagnosed with the infection. Children who had been in

isolation observed the cleanliness guidelines more than children who had not observed the

isolation policy. Like all nations worldwide, Turkey has been impacted adversely by the

unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, which has had the same level of effect on adults just as on

children. This was witnessed mainly in the spring and mid-year months when the urge by kids to

get active was high, but they had been compelled to stay indoors due to the measures put to curb

the spread of the virus. The present circumstance significantly affected children's emotional,

behavioural, physical, and psychological wellness. These adverse consequences incorporate

diminished physical activity, increased screen time, reduced outdoor activities, predominant

pressure, stress, and reduced social interaction. Ideally, the findings of this study are obtained

from a multi-faceted assessment of the impacts of challenges affecting children during the

COVID-19 pandemic. From the assurance of the measures taken by parents to help their children
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adapt to these impacts, it is proper to state that a lot of progress has been made. Indeed,

compared to the elderly, young people have felt the implications of the challenges posed by the

covid-19 pandemic. Such an assertion comes from reports showing increased interference with

children's mental health, which has affected different children in different ways.

Conclusion

Summarily, the onset of the COVID19 pandemic brought about a standstill to the

activities running the global business. Most sectors such as education, healthcare and transport

fell victim to the ravages associated with this pandemic. The above study brings a

comprehensive review of the challenges brought about by the virus and its implications for

young people. It is true to state that the pandemic significantly impacted children's routines. They

were deemed unable to engage in physical learning, which provided a platform to interact with

their peers. The imposition of the lockdown restrictions saw most children locked indoors during

the pandemic. This move had severe implications on their psychological well-being as the

number of children developing psychological disorders increased significantly during the

pandemic. In addition to the psychological issues affiliated with the implications of the

challenges posed by the covid-19 to children, the populace mentioned above was also affected by

health-related disorders such as obesity and an increased number of diabetic patients. Studies

reveal that most children suffer from diet-related disorders by constantly sitting indoors and

subscribed to junk and other unhealthy foods. The existence of the policies set to regulate

individuals from accessing a variety of food types has seen most of them stick to a regular diet of

unhealthy and junk food. This has resulted in increased food-related disorder cases, with children

being at a higher risk of contracting the said diseases than their adult counterparts.

Recommendation
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To mitigate the implications of the challenges posed by covid-19 to children,

governments worldwide must develop strategies that will ensure a seamless adoption into the

current situation with limited implications. First, the government need to increase awareness

through the health care facilities about the possibilities of psychological effects of the policies

they impose on children. With increased awareness, parents can develop ways to handle their

children to process the changes they face in their environment. Additionally, the government

needs to consider education programs that will equip teachers and parents with the necessary

information to psychologically prepare the children to adapt to the new circumstances created by

the pandemic. Likely, all parents have not faced a similar situation before and thus lack

knowledge of handling such situations. The government needs to sensitize its public on handling

children during such challenging times. They should make the parents understand that some of

these changes will bring about emotional, psychological, and behavioural changes in their

children, thus requiring preliminary information on handling such cases. Also, the government

should make the transition into the new policies an all-inclusive process. As such, children need

to be prioritized when developing specific policies. There is a need to develop a solid plan to

gradually initiate children into the new policies, such as social isolation and getting used to

hybrid learning. This is so because children have minimal brain capacities and thus limited

abilities to understand their situation. In light of this fact, there is a need to make their process

gradual so that they can understand everything happening without having a hard time absorbing

the same. Strategies need to be put in place to ensure that the changes they are being subjected to

will not affect their psychological wellbeing. If this is not achieved, there ought to be

countermeasures to mitigate the implications of the challenges introduced to the lives of these

young ones by the coronavirus pandemic.

References

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