The deterioration of mental health among children forced to stay at home due to school closures caused by the new coronavirus is becoming a problem.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging worldwide since the end of 2019, and many people around the world are refraining from going out. In some areas, many children are unable to attend school. Reuters has published the results of a survey showing that school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic are having a negative impact on children's mental health.
Schools, COVID and Mental Health
Reuters conducted a survey of school districts across the United States in February 2021. The results revealed that of the 74 school districts that responded, 55, or roughly three-quarters, had experienced an increase in children experiencing stress and worsening mental health.
The survey also found that nearly 90% of responding districts have seen an increase in student absenteeism and suspensions, and more than half of responding districts said that 'the lack of in-person education due to school closures has worsened children's mental health.'
Reuters also reported that 57% of responding districts called for more personnel support, such as more teachers and support staff.
In the spring of 2020, measures were taken to close all public schools across the United States, from kindergarten through high school, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While most of these measures were temporary, in some districts school boards, teachers unions, and PTAs are opposed to reopening schools, and there are still children who cannot attend school.
Even so, some parents are refusing to send their children to school due to the risk of their children becoming infected at school and bringing the coronavirus home. In particular, some families with members who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms of COVID-19, such as those with diabetes or autoimmune diseases, are refusing to allow their children to go to school or even go out at all.
However, children who continue to stay at home without seeing friends or teachers at all lose family members to COVID-19 or witness their families lose their jobs due to the pandemic. In many cases, children's mental health deteriorates.
In the Somerset Independent School District in the south of San Antonio, Texas, the number of children identified by a team of mental health professionals as 'showing signs of suicide' has doubled. Furthermore, it was found that many of the children who showed signs of suicide were concentrated among children who were learning remotely at home. In addition, it has been pointed out that 'when children are no longer attending school, families are closed off, making it difficult for cases of child abuse to come to light.'
Sullivan Morgan, a mother of two sons in San Francisco, noticed that her children's mental health was deteriorating as they continued to learn online while staying at home. Her eldest son, 11, stopped eating and began spending his time in his room, staring at the ceiling. Her second son, 8, began screaming and crying frequently.
So in December 2020, Morgan and her husband sold their house and decided to move to Texas, where public schools had reopened. Morgan said her sons have been doing well since they started attending school five days a week. 'They're young and resilient, but they have their limits,' she said. 'They've finally gotten back to their normal selves.'
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