HEALTH & WELLNESS
The Eff ects of Covid-19 on Qatar 's Neurodiverse Families
I
n March 2020, Qatar plunged into a series of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. Authorities began closing schools, public spaces, hotels, and malls. Social distancing, isolation, and face masks were mandated as everyone stayed at home and tried their hardest to come to terms with and make sense of the world. In June 2020, as Covid-19 cases decreased, restrictions gradually lifted, only to be reintroduced months later.
Autumn 2021 | Issue 19
By Kim Wyatt Who would have thought that since the first lockdown 18 months ago, the world would still be gripped by Covid-19? For many people across the globe, the pandemic continues to take a physical, emotional, and financial toll. Children and adolescents—who have faced some of the tightest restrictions here in Qatar—have also been greatly affected. According to a report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the September 2021 issue of the BJPsych Open journal, there is emerging evidence from the United Kingdom that depression and anxiety levels have increased in children and adolescents due to lockdowns. And for those who are neurodivergent, these mental health effects might be even stronger, according to a systemic review published in the September issue of the journal Child and Adolescent Mental Health. 43
