Parents Urged To Look Out For Mental Health Issues In Children

Parents and guardians are being implored to look out for signs that children may need additional support in coping mentally and emotionally during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A study conducted by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica in 2020, in collaboration with the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI), on the impact of COVID-19 shows that most households reported increases in children’s level of boredom (63 per cent) and overeating (57 per cent).

Other emotions that were elevated (relative to pre-COVID-19) included frustration (41 per cent), clinginess (49 per cent), anxiety (23 per cent) and fear (21 per cent).

Regional Clinical Psychologist at the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and Psychotherapist at Hands of Change Counselling Services in St. James, Dr. Alcon Barnett, tells JIS News that the pandemic has been hard on the mental health of the island’s children, especially those who have pre-existing conditions.

“You have children who have conditions such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other conditions. The pandemic has exacerbated these conditions; it has made them worse Then you have children who have never had any issue from a mental health or psychosocial standpoint who are now experiencing symptoms,” he shares.

He says that parents need to recognise symptoms of mental issues that their children may be developing.

“These are depression and anxiety, but out of this, you may have some post traumatic issues and behavioural and emotional challenges. Withdrawal from family and friends, especially among adolescents, is also a sign. They start showing disinterest in pastimes and hobbies or displaying long episodes of sadness and anger,” Dr. Barnett points out.

He notes that children may manifest symptoms differently from adults, for example, they may become extremely angry, which could be mistaken for being rude. However, this behaviour may be a sign of depression.

Dr. Barnett says that children may also become aggressive and lash out at others, while some may internalise what they are feeling.

He says that sleeping problems may also arise, where children will talk in their sleep, sleep walk or increase the use of night lights.

Dr. Barnett tells JIS News that it is extremely important that children experiencing these changes in behaviours are evaluated, either privately or through the child guidance clinics.

He says that allowing children the freedom to play is important in safeguarding their mental health.

“I cannot overemphasise this, especially for children 10 years and younger, it is extremely important to get the kids out of the house. Children learn by playing”,  he says, noting that even with the restriction in movement due to COVID, parents “have to find even an hour per day to let the child do physical play”.

Dr. Barnett is also advising parents to limit screen time and to turn off television sets, tablets and other devices at least an hour before the children’s scheduled bedtime, especially for the younger ones.

The UNICEF study found that children over six years old are reportedly spending, on average, more than twice the time in front of a screen since COVID-19 restrictions began, moving from 3.1 hours to 6.8 hours per day.

In addition, 13 per cent of households reported that their children’s online activity, including the content they view, was seldom or never supervised by an adult.

Dr. Barnett recommends that parents try to infuse some form of play for their children, which can be both supervised and unsupervised, as play helps in developing the neural pathways and laying the foundations for the skills that children need.

“No video games, no screens; focus on creative play. You might find some kids who start to talk to themselves more, especially children who are by themselves. It’s not a sign of madness, that’s called fantasy play. If the child is not autistic or has severe ADHD, that is a healthy thing,” he notes.

He says that play also helps to develop the child’s motor skills, whereas the tablets and other devices negatively impact a child’s eyesight over time. Play also helps to keep children in shape.

Dr. Barnett further advises parents to establish daily routines for their children. Consistency, he says, helps to keep children in line mentally.

“If you are inconsistent, then the child will sometimes manipulate your emotions, and so consistency and routine are extremely important,” he notes.

For her part, mother of three from Anchovy, St. James, Nemonie Cassells, tells JIS News that since the pandemic, she has ensured that her children enjoy some sense of normality during their extended stay at home.

Ms. Cassells shares that she make sure that there is good balance of play and work and she sets a daily routine.

“They go out once it is a good day to go out. They spend half their day inside, half the day outside and they play together, so it [the pandemic] doesn’t really impact my children as much, especially the girls. With my son, it’s a little different because he is older, so he is used to going to school and interacting with his friends,” she notes.

“My daughters are younger so they are just starting school. One is in kindergarten and the other is in grade one, so they haven’t formed any bonds with any kids, so I don’t think they miss them much,” she points out.

Mother of two from Portmore, St. Catherine, Stacy-Ann McKenzie, highlights the importance of play.

She tells JIS News that after online classes, her children are allowed to explore their vast backyard for the remainder of the day.

Ms. McKenzie says she tries to give the children their favourite treats often, so that they have something to look forward to.