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Review
. 2020 Dec;30(12):430-437.
doi: 10.1016/j.paed.2020.09.004. Epub 2020 Sep 16.

The indirect impact of COVID-19 on child health

Loucia Ashikkali  1   2   3 , Will Carroll  1   2   3 , Christine Johnson  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

The indirect impact of COVID-19 on child health

Loucia Ashikkali et al. Paediatr Child Health (Oxford). 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Since the detection of COVID-19 in December 2019, the rapid spread of the disease worldwide has led to a new pandemic, with the number of infected individuals and deaths rising daily. Early experience shows that it predominantly affects older age groups with children and young adults being generally more resilient to more severe disease.1, 2, 3 From a health standpoint, children and young people are less directly affected than adults and presentation of the disease has shown different characteristics. Nonetheless, COVID-19 has had severe repercussions on children and young people. These indirect, downstream implications should not be ignored. An understanding of the issues is essential for those who hope to advocate effectively for children to prevent irreversible damage to the adults of the future. This article reviews some of the evidence of harm to children that may accrue indirectly as a result of pandemics. It explores the physical and psychological effects, discusses the role of parenting and education, offering practical advice about how best to provide support as a healthcare professional.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-COV2; adverse childhood experience (ACE); children and young people; parenting; telemedicine.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Factors encouraging obesogenic behaviours in children and young people.
Figure 3
Figure 3
How to prevent obesogenic behaviours amongst children and young people.
Figure 4
Figure 4
UNESCO data on affected schools and pupils worldwide.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Stressors that could impact the mental health of children and young people.
Figure 6
Figure 6
A stepwise approach to identify, diagnose, and manage mental health problems.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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