• Infection Control

  If adults are struggling to cope with Covid-19, what about our children?

  Posted by Nigel Brown on 14 July 2020 at 7:00 am

  If the ongoing spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing anxiety, stress and uncertainty for grownups, consider how troubling it may be for children.

  Depending on their age and media exposure, children may know more about the virus than grownups think. And even if unaware, children still might sense tension and anxiety from adults around them.

  Being away from family and friends from school can have a devastating effect on their mental well being. With the internet and chat apps the children are inundated with information, some of this information is malicious, placed by people and organisations that thrive on spreading misinformation and fear, that can scare children into thinking the end of the world is nigh.

  So how can we as adults calm their fears and anxiety

  Listen carefully to their concerns and learn where they heard their information. Validate their fears by saying something like, “It can be scary when a new illness comes around that we don’t know everything about.” Reassure them that the plan to keep them safe is working and they are your number one priority.
  

  Gently correct any misconceptions they may have heard and encourage them to continue to ask you questions, tell they any worries they have can be shared with you.

  Maintaining a routine can provide children a sense of security. Keeping a usual schedule including activities, online school lesson if this is available and regular jobs around the home, will protect mental and physical health.

  Make learning about hand-washing and other preventative measures fun. Help kids learn about germs by giving them some lotion and then sprinkling glitter on their hands. Tell them the glitter is like germs, and then ask the child to try to wipe it off with a paper towel or just water. They won’t get far!

  Then you can explain how soap and warm water removes the glitter and germs to help keep them safe.

  Changes in a child’s sleep, appetite, interest in being with friends or leaving the house, or levels of reassurance seeking, as well as excessive hand-washing can be signs that more help is needed.

  Children can suffer from stress like any adult, let’s make sure we take that stress and fear away from them, whilst at the same time protecting them.

  

  Nigel Brown replied 4 years, 2 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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