By Rachel Velcoff and Steven Adelsheim, Stanford Children's Health, June 8, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the lives of families across the country and left many adults feeling stressed, anxious, and struggling to cope. It has also put the mental health of our youngest and most vulnerable at risk. Now, three months into the pandemic, youth are experiencing further stress and trauma, as our country grapples with another profound crisis: the murder of George Floyd and the pervasive pattern of police brutality and systemic racism against Black Americans that has led to a wave of protests and calls for action against discrimination across the U.S.
As we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a collective responsibility to keep the well-being of children and youth at the forefront of our response and recovery. We must also recognize racism, discrimination, and race-based violence creates additional stress and trauma for youth, exacerbating the already significant challenges that youth of color have experienced during the pandemic, and threatening to further widen existing mental health inequities impacting communities of color.
At a time of year when children and youth would typically be attending their last days of school, celebrating graduations, and making plans for summer break, they are instead navigating a difficult new normal. For many, this period brings stressors that can contribute to new mental health issues or a worsening of existing ones. Some youth may be experiencing fears of illness or death for themselves or a family member, or grief associated with the loss of a loved one. These stressors are heightened for youth in communities of color, which have suffered a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. Youth may still be adjusting to the abrupt changes in their daily routine and finding it difficult to function without the structure that a traditional school day provides. Social isolation and lack of peer support also pose challenges. Youth miss opportunities to connect with their friends and classmates—even in simple, informal hallway conversations—and the need for visual and physical connection seems to be growing. Youth may also be experiencing grief over a lost sense of important school rituals, like prom, sports events, or graduation. Some youth may also have limited access to school- or community-based services or supports that they previously relied upon. (And while we focus our comments here on older youth, who too often face negative stereotypes and insufficient supports, younger children face challenges, too, as they attempt to process intense emotions about a situation that is difficult to understand.)
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