The coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, which is effective all over the world, affects children negatively for many reasons. Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Dr. Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital said that parents have a great responsibility especially in this period when children’s relations with their peers are broken and almost everything turns into online relationships. Rümeysa Alaca said, “The inability of children to go to school has become one of the factors that increase the stress in the family. Anxiety was intense in the first period of the pandemic, but as the process took longer, depressions, obsessions, communication problems, and digital addictions began to increase. As it became chronic, mental fatigue increased. It is very important for parents to look at the future with hope so that children are not affected by this process.
Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Dr. Rümeysa Alaca said, “Going to school should not be considered as just getting an education. The school is a place that helps the child plan his/her day, chat and play while providing the opportunity to develop himself/herself in every aspect, providing social activities and physical mobility, but also providing an opportunity to stay away from the family and miss their parents.”
The time children spend with technology should be under family control.
Underlining that it is very important for parents to fill in all these areas of interest that children have lost, to communicate with them one-to-one, and to ensure that they continue their normal routines, especially in this period, Dr. Rümeysa Alaca emphasized that the time children spend with technology should be under the control of the family. She also stated that they should protect children from the physical and psychological harms of sitting in front of the screen for a long time. Instead of the unlimited hours spent with technology, activities such as story reading, word and card games, closet arrangement, handicraft activities, dancing, planning small theater performances, silent movies, making fun imitations and drawing cartoons can be planned.
Children should also spend time outside
Stating that depression, obsession, communication problems and digital addiction in children increase as the process lengthens compared to the first period of the pandemic, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Dr. Rümeysa Alaca said, “It is very important that parents look to the future with hope in order to protect children from the negative mental effects of the pandemic. While adapting to the online school plan; It should not be forgotten that children should also spend time outside. As the children stay at home longer, they may not want to leave the house, it is important for the spiritual and physical development of the children that the parents create a routine and encourage them to go out.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
