Helping Children Cope with Stress During 2019 Coronavirus Disease
Helping Children Cope with Stress During 2019 Coronavirus Disease
Children may respond to stress in a variety of ways, such as being more clingy, anxious, withdrawn, angry or irritable, bedwetting, etc.
It is important to understand your child’s reactions, care for them, listen to what concerns they have, and give extra love.
Children need loving adults during difficult times. Care for them more and spend more time with them.
Listen patiently to your child and be pleasant and reassuring when you talk to them.
Create opportunities for children to play and relax whenever possible.
Keep children with their parents and families as much as possible and do not separate children from their caregivers whenever possible. If separation is necessary (e.g., hospitalization), ensure frequent contact by phone or other means to reassure the child.
Maintain routines and schedules whenever possible, or help develop new routines and schedules in new settings, including establishing times for lessons/study and safe play and relaxation.
Talk about what is happening in layman’s terms according to the child’s age, explain the current situation, and tell them clearly how to reduce the risk of infection.
They should also be told what may happen and be reassured (e.g., if the family and/or child begins to feel ill and may need to go to the hospital for a period of time, tell the child that the doctor will help to relieve the condition).
