Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created unimaginable challenges for children, youth and their families around the world. The virus, which was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has caused 23,440,774 cases of COVID-19 in the United States (as of January 16, 2021) and has caused more than 390,938 total deaths in the United States. The closure of schools and businesses due to this pandemic has had a significant effect on families.
The daily lives of children and adolescents have also been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which can eventually trigger stress. This is evidenced by the increasing reports of deteriorating mental health in children. A US study of 1000 parents with at least 1 child under the age of 18 found that 14.3% of parents reported observing a worsening of their child's behavioral health.
According to a screening conducted by Hill and colleagues in the emergency department of a large US hospital, the percentage of suicide attempts from March to July in 2020 increased, compared with the same month in 2019. In addition, mental health care visits in children aged 5-11 years also increased.
Many factors have been suggested to contribute to the appearance of symptoms of mental health disorders. Research shows that social isolation and feelings of loneliness increase the risk of depression and anxiety, with the duration of these feelings of loneliness having the greatest impact on children's mental health.
Cell phone and internet use has also increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with excessive use in children and adolescents being linked to increased depression. In addition to internet use, lack of physical activity can increase depression and anxiety. Mittal and colleagues expressed concern about the significant negative impact of sedentary behavior on children's mental health, noting that children's play activities are very important in child development.
Exposure to COVID-19 information and the difficulties parents experience, including the loss of jobs, income, and the increased burden of parenting can also increase stress, even leading to domestic violence and child abuse.
Experts have warned that the high death toll, prolonged feelings of grief and loss, and the current worsening of mental health disorders signal that the mental health effects of this pandemic will still be felt.
In the future, the need for mental health services for children and adolescents will continue to increase. Increasing access to finance and insurance will be essential, including equitable development of mental health services.