PARENTING
THE ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OFDOES COVID-19 YOUR CHILD NEED COUNSELING? WRITTEN BY T.E. CUNNINGHAM
2020
and 2021 presented challenges that many of us experienced for the first time in our lifetime. From feelings of fear about the future and supporting our families to the isolation of being stuck at home or even quarantined, the “new normal” was anything but normal. Losing loved ones and not being able to say goodbye or be there in their final hours added an even more significant emotional challenge. The stress and uncertainty created by the COVID-19 era have not escaped our children either. The pandemic has many children struggling to cope mentally and emotionally. “Childrens’ mental health is suffering. Young people have endured so much throughout this pandemic. While much of the attention is often placed on its physical health consequences, we cannot overlook the escalating mental health crisis facing our patients,” says American Association of Pediatrics president Lee Savio Beers, MD, FAAP. Although they face the lowest mortali-
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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FEBRUARY 2022
ty rates from the various strains of this deadly disease, today’s youth still face challenges borne from the virus—they certainly are not immune to that. Our children have had to deal with the stark reality of loss via the death of loved ones. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, over 140,000 children in the U.S. experienced the death of a parent or grandparent caregiver to COVIDrelated complications. Childhood and teenage years are crucial for social development, educational development, and physical growth. All three of these areas have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus. Staying home from school and being stranded from friends, even with social media and mobile phones, caused many students to feel isolated, anxious, and depressed. Homeschooling with a parent or tutor created extra tension and stress for both parties. Being “stuck” inside is detrimental to physical and mental health. Finally,
