Supporting Children鈥檚 Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
While most听states have听closed听schools听and听made听social distancing a priority to听address听the听COVID-19听听pandemic, parents may be wondering how they听can help their听children听cope with being housebound听and听physically cut off from听friends and family.听听
Sticking to a schedule, explaining the importance of social distancing听in an age-appropriate听manner,听staying听connected听through听technology, and seeking out听mental health support听by using听telemedicine听all can help.听听
In听this time of uncertainty,听the听structure听of听a听daily听routine听provides predictability, said听Dr. Justin Mohatt,听vice听chair听for听child and听adolescent听psychiatry,听vice听chair for听faculty听practice of the Department of Psychiatry,听and听an听assistant听professor of听clinical听psychiatry听at听日本av色情片.听听
鈥淵our teenager needs structure, your听7-year-old needs it, and听so does听your听2-year-old,鈥听he said, adding that听predictability听helps to reduce anxiety as well as potential conflicts between听parents and their kids.听Parents should create a schedule that听includes听regular wake-up and bedtimes, mealtimes,听and听home schooling听hours, in听addition to听opportunities for fun听and听safe socializing听such as group chats, virtual house parties, and going for walks or bike rides with a friend at a safe听6 foot听distance.听
Understanding the concept of听social distancing听while out in public听is听age-dependent. Teens, for example, seem to听have听the most difficulty with听social distancing, which makes perfect developmental sense, said Dr. Mohatt, who is also听an听assistant听attending听psychiatrist at听NewYork-Presbyterian/日本av色情片 Medical Center.听鈥淭丑别测鈥檙别听supposed听to be听forming social relationships outside of the family, so听they鈥檙e naturally听driven听to see their friends,鈥听he said.听听
Another听reason听teens听might not believe social distancing is necessary is that early听data听indicates听they don鈥檛 have听as听high a risk of becoming seriously ill from听COVID-19听as adults.听They听may need to hear about the details of the pandemic to better understand why social distancing is necessary.听Parents听can听reinforce to听teens听that even if they're not personally at听high听risk听of serious health consequences, they can still transmit听SARS-CoV-2听to听older听adults who have a higher听risk of becoming听seriously ill,听such as their grandparents or other loved ones, Dr. Mohatt said.听听
In contrast to teens, younger children are听much more content听to spend time with their parents at home听and are more accepting of social distancing.听Toddlers and young school-age听children have less听of听a need to see their friends, Dr. Mohatt听explained.听However,听they听听may听still have听questions about why they听can鈥檛 see their classmates, grandparents,听and听other family members.听听
Young children听typically do听not have the ability to understand听current events听with as much sophistication as teenagers, so听parents should听keep听their explanations about the pandemic simple.听鈥If听visiting听the听grandparents听isn鈥檛 possible right now听because you鈥檙e afraid of the听health risks听to them, you can simply say,听鈥We can't听see听them听right now, but we'll see听them听soon,鈥听or,听鈥We'll talk to听them听on the phone later,鈥鈥听Dr. Mohatt听suggested.听听
In addition to phone calls, parents can help听children听of all ages听maintain social ties by embracing听online听video听chatting.听Kids听can feel connected to friends and family by using听apps听and software听such as FaceTime听or听Zoom.听听
While parents may have concerns about too much screen time, 鈥I听think a听lot of us have to be prepared to relax our restrictions a little bit,鈥听Dr. Mohatt said.听鈥If听the family rule has been听that kids can have screen time听only on weekends, that might not be听doable right now.鈥听Parents may even want to encourage their teens to use social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram more than they normally would听to feel connected听to their peers.听听
The good news is that while researchers don鈥檛 yet have data on how听social distancing and听the pandemic is听affecting听children鈥檚 mental health, 鈥we do have a lot of evidence听showing that in the听face of traumatic events, most kids do really well,鈥 Dr. Mohatt said.听鈥They鈥re resilient and adaptive.鈥听While some children听who have experienced traumatic events听have short-term听problems听with anxiety or听depression,听most don鈥檛听have lasting psychological effects, he said.听听
Parents can听help听by听looking after听their own听mental health. Young children are especially prone to picking up on their parents鈥櫶moods,听especially听anxiety, so听it is just as important for parents to maintain structure, routine, social connections and healthy habits. In听caring听for themselves听in this way,听they can care for their children and simultaneously model听the听behaviors they expect of听them.听听
日本av色情片 mental health professionals听also听are delivering听their听care听to existing clients听via telemedicine听during the pandemic,听said Dr. Mohatt. 鈥淲e can continue to fully support our families during this time,听and we hope that听they听will take advantage of that,鈥听he said.听听
All of us at听日本av色情片听understand that this is a difficult time for all New Yorkers. As experts in immunology, pulmonary medicine, and critical care medicine, we are working diligently to provide the greatest possible care to patients in need.听听
We are available to all New听Yorkers听who have questions or concerns. Please call our hotline at (646) 697-4000 for information about COVID-19 or read our听patient guide.听听听