More than a year has passed since SARS-CoV-2 started spreading across the globe, and it soon began to take the shape of a serious worry. Since then, COVID has been a constant concern for all of us, and we are all braving one of the deadliest pandemics known in history.
One of the natural outcomes of this situation is the rising instances of stress and fear over the impact of the virus and adjusting to this new normal. And there is no denying that the kids are among the hardest hit victims in this scenario with closed playgrounds and no outdoor activities. Even the physical distancing norms are weighing down their psyche, leading to anxiety and concern.
So, keeping that in mind, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, one of the Top CBSE Schools in Gurgaon, will be discussing in this article today about the growing cases of COVID-induced anxiety in children and how the parents can ensure that the kids stay away from it.
What is COVID Induced Anxiety?
As per the paper published in Psychiatry Research by Professors Ana Nikčević and Marcantonio Spada, COVID-19 anxiety is a growing issue that is characterized by too much worrying, threat monitoring, compulsive symptom-checking, and avoidance. The most common symptoms include avoiding people or social situations, inability to leave the house due to the fear of getting infected, and frequent symptom-checking even when not in a high-risk scenario.
Such a situation is further compounded when a family member or relative also gets infected by the virus. And with nearly three crore cases in the country, almost every other person has a relative or a family member who has either had or is battling the infection.
How to keep the COVID anxiety at bay in children?
Though COVID-induced anxiety is not something age-specific, it gets more worrying in case of children due to their growing age. So here, we, at DPS Sushant Lok, have brought for you a few ways you can adopt to keep COVID induced anxiety at bay in your kids:
- Keep reminding the kids of all the things they can do at home:
Offering too much reassurance can make kids too dependent on it, and they keep seeking it more often. But since you cannot completely reassure them in this situation, it might end up worsening their anxiety. Thus, instead of merely telling them that no one in the family can catch the infection, teach them about how following good hygiene at all times can help to stay safe.
- Be calm and composed yourself:
It is better not to share your worries with the kids and have a constant discussion regarding the virus. It is important to understand that kids look up to you to get a sense of the situation, and the way you hold yourself in this situation will help them learn a crucial lesson. When you stay calm and composed, the kids will learn how to stay calm and collected even in the face of adversities.
- Structure the day for the kids:
Setting a structure for the kids will help make your life as easy as it does for them. They will easily get fretful when they face a day without any structure, and their anxiety can grow in such conditions. So, our advice would be to fill their day with alternate chores and fun activities that can keep them happy and engaged.
- Teach them to look at the positive side of things:
Use this opportunity to teach your kids to look at the brighter side of things. After all, even the darkest cloud has a silver lining! Point out that you are getting to spend so much time together and how strong your bonds are becoming as a result of this. Tell them how the pandemic has given them the opportunity to get more adjusted to the tools and technologies of online learning that will come in handy later in life.
We, at DPS Sushant Lok, ranked among the top CBSE schools in Gurgaon, understand that this is a difficult situation for everyone alike, be it the adults or children. But kudos to the parents who are pouring in all their efforts to handle the situation really well at home. Hopefully, the insights that we shared today will make your work of protecting the mental health and wellness of the kids a little easier.