26 Ways to Support a Child's Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Parenting is hard enough without being in the thick of a pandemic. We all want our children to be happy, healthy, and successful, but we are in uncharted territory, and the world has turned upside down. Parenting during the pandemic and teaching during COVID have been enormous challenges for many people across the globe. While there are many COVID parenting tips out there, it can be scary and difficult to know the right course of action. As families struggle with an ever-changing normal, many parents and caregivers find themselves grappling with questions such as, “How do I help my child understand why they cannot see their friends during COVID?” and “How do you explain COVID to a child?” Beyond these questions, we worry about how the pandemic will affect children’s mental health and development. In fact, several significant children’s health organizations have declared a national emergency in children’s mental health. The time to take action is now. The team at AAA State of Play has created a guide to help parents, educators, and caregivers be proactive about the COVID mental health crisis:

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What Signs of Stress Can Be Observed in Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic can affect children and young individuals both directly and indirectly. Beyond the possibility of physical sickness, many children’s emotional, mental, and social well-being has been deeply affected. In fact, in October of 2021, UNICEF reported that the impact of COVID-19 on children’s mental health and well-being could be felt for many years to come. The first step toward advocating for our children’s mental health during this tumultuous time is to recognize signs of stress and turmoil. Here are the signs of stress in children by age group:

Signs of Stress in Infants

• Fussy, irritable, easier to cry and difficult to console
• Thumb-sucking
• Bed-wetting
• Regression of behavior
• Falling asleep and waking up more at night
• Separation anxiety, hesitation to explore or go outside
• Hitting, biting, tantrums
• Conflict and aggression or themes such as death and illness during play 

Signs of Stress in Elementary-Aged Children

• Irritability
• Nightmares
• School avoidance
• Poor concentration 
• Withdrawal from activities and friends

Signs of Stress in Teenagers

• Sleep disturbances
• Increase in conflicts
• Physical aches and pains
• Delinquent behavior
• Poor concentration

Armed with knowledge on how to recognize signs of stress in a child, we can do our best to be proactive and approach the situation with empathy, patience, and understanding. Here are some additional resources to help with children’s mental health during COVID, parenting challenges during COVID-19, stress management for parents during COVID, talking to children about coronavirus, and more: 

• COVID-19 Parental Resources Kit — Mental Health — CDC
• Ten Tips for Talking About COVID-19 With Your Kids — PBS
• Coronavirus Resources for Families: Self-Care for Parents — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
• Impact of COVID-19 on Poor Mental Health in Children and Young People "Tip of the Iceberg" — UNICEF
• Children’s Mental Health Statistics During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Children’s Hospital of Chicago
• Parenting During the Coronavirus Pandemic — Boston Children’s Hospital 
• Signs of Childhood Stress From COVID-19 and What to Do — The American Institute of Stress
• Parenting During Lockdown — The University of Melbourne

This article is brought to you by AAA State of Play swing sets.

Find more about the author: Kim Hart