It is no secret that COVID-19 has had a big impact on our lives and this is equally true for our children. Research on the impact of COVID-19 on children has so far found impacts on children’s education, nutrition and physical health but what is the emotional impact of COVID-19 on children? This article highlights research on the topic and some tips to support children’s emotions.

Due to COVID-19, face-to-face schooling in Jamaica was halted in March 2020. Online learning has since continued as many attempts to resume face-to-face schooling were disrupted by sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks and clusters all over the island.

Additionally, lockdown measures meant that people had to stay home with gatherings of any kind prohibited. These changes have had a significant emotional impact on both adults and children.

A recent study has shown that the emotional impact of COVID-19 on children was linked to their parent’s emotional regulation and level of playfulness. Children’s emotion was impacted by their exposure to stressors brought on by the pandemic.

It was found that children were more likely to be stressed if they had been exposed to disturbing information about the virus by the media, have had a close friend or family member lose their job because of the pandemic, or were in lockdown.

Children’s emotional reactions were manifested in several ways, including separation fears and clinging; anxiety and fears; excessive crying; nervous, agitated and aggressive behaviours and fear or difficulty sleeping.

The research highlights the emotional impact of COVID-19 on children with potential worrying effects on children’s mental health. This is of particular interest as research shows that children’s mental health affects their learning and overall development. 

A positive takeaway from the study is that children were less likely to be stressed from the effects of the pandemic if their parents were able to regulate their own emotions toward the virus.

The study also found that fathers were more likely to be playful with children, so their playfulness mitigated the negative emotional impact of COVID-19.

Tips to reduce the emotional impact of COVID-19 on children

Limit Disturbing Information on COVID-19

When possible, parents should limit children’s exposure to disturbing information about COVID-19 in the media.

Practice Self-Care

Parents should practice self-care and emotional regulation so that they are better able to support their children’s emotional needs. Some self-care tips for parents include meditating, doing things that you enjoy, keeping a journal or taking time to pamper yourself.

Play More

Play is important to children’s development. Taking time to play with children is not only fun but it supports their learning and promotes positive feelings about self, others and the environment. Play is a child’s work.

Monitor Children’s Emotions

Parents should monitor their children’s emotions and check for signs of abnormal moods and/or behaviours, such as those mentioned above, and seek help without hesitation.

Support Children’s Emotions

Support children to recognize their emotions and learn appropriate ways to express them. Parents can support children by talking to them about their feelings and teaching them how to label and identify those feelings.

The post Emotional Impact of COVID-19 on Children appeared first on Childhood Central.

Violence against children in Jamaica is commonplace.

There is a lot of talk about the recent cases of violence that have rocked the island.

I think that many people are shocked that the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated Jamaica COVID restrictions like the curfews and lockdowns didn’t curb the violence.

It seems that every day there is a report of a murdered woman in the country, most often, by her lover or ex-partner. And of course, the natural reaction is fear, anger, and pain.

Violence is not only affecting women, but it is also affecting our children which in turn creates a domino effect because violence against children is violence against society.

While we are all trying to understand the reasons behind such violence, we are also sceptical that we will see an end to the violence any time soon. There seems to be no effective Jamaican crime plan that can put the public at ease.

Types of Violence Against Children

Not so long ago, a grandmother and her grandchildren were murdered in their home.

The grandmother was 81 years old, and her grandchildren were 10 and 6 years old.

The murders sent shockwaves across the island. Similar to every other murder before them, the days passed, life went on, and the murders were replaced by even more brutal murders in the news and on the front pages of the newspapers.

Child violence statistics show that 85% of Jamaica’s children are subjected to violent discipline, including children as young as 18 months old.

Violence against children in Jamaica takes many forms. Besides violent discipline, children are exposed to violence through witnessing it in their homes and communities, as well as experiencing it at school.

Different types of child violence also include sexual abuse, psychological abuse, violence in music and indirect violence.

As recently as 25^th April, 2021, it was reported that a four-year-old child became an orphan after the murder of both parents by gunmen in separate incidents twelve hours apart.

Even when our children are not witnesses to violence, it still impacts them. This is because the violence in our society is so insidious and permeates all aspects of our children’s lives.

Attitudes to Violence Against Children

Attitudes towards violence against children vary as violence can be categorized into two main groups: the types of child violence that are accepted culturally and the ones that are not.

For example, many parents feel they are within their rights to shout at their children if their children do not seem to be responding to the usual calm voice.

Or, they may feel they are allowed to beat their children as a form of disciplinary method because it will make them “grow up right.”

These types of child violence are not seen culturally by parents as violent acts towards children. This is because these types of child violence fall within a frame of correcting children’s behaviour. Some parents may believe that the means justifies the end if their children learn to behave through conditioning by violent discipline.

On the other hand, the majority of parents stand firmly against the sexual abuse of children. It is not a culturally accepted phenomenon, and rightly so.

In today’s Jamaica, this type of child violence is far less tolerated. Although still prevalent, more people, including victims, speak out against this type of violence.

However, attitudes towards violent discipline have largely remained the same.

Why haven’t attitudes towards violent discipline changed much in our society?

Why do so many parents, guardians, and even teachers still believe that hitting, shouting at, and humiliating children are the best forms of discipline?

Do they do it out of frustration? Or, is it a case of deeply entrenched beliefs about children and the role of adults as authority figures?

Why are we more outraged by a man beating his wife than the same man beating his child? Both should cause equal offence.

There is enough research that shows the harmful effects of physical punishment on children, yet many parents still practice this method as a form of discipline.

Belief and Culture: A Dangerous Combination for Violence Against Children

Physical abuse in the form of beating children is a fabric of our culture, a way of life that many accepted and passed down through generations.

Some parents will quote the famous “spare the rod and spoil the child” when asked why they beat their children—a quote which they source to the Bible.

The implication is that as long as it is in the Bible, it is sanctioned and should be actioned.

However, this exact quote is not in the Bible. The actual quote, Proverbs 13:24 NIV says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.”

According to this scripture, if parents do not hit their children, they do not love them. For many of us, our childhood experiences featured beatings that were supposed to be for our “own good,” to “discipline” us, and to “show us right from wrong.”

Our parents genuinely believed they were doing the right thing. After all, our parents love us, “they were beaten too,” and “they turned out fine.”

The problem with this kind of belief and practice is that it recycles the trauma of violence into every new generation. Any type of child violence harms, it never heals.

The Effects of Violence on Children

We know the devastating consequences of sexual violence on children. We know how to protect our children from these acts, and we ensure that we are on the alert for them. So why don’t we treat other types of violence against children the same way?

Why are there no measures to reduce children’s exposure to other types of violence in their community and home?

The effects of violence on children also impact our society.

The effects of violence on children are well documented, including increased death, impairments in brain development, negative coping and high-risk behaviours, and high drop-out rates for school children. These, in turn, have severe consequences for society.

Children who experience violence have fewer chances of becoming successful adult participants in society and have an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

According to WHO, child violence statistics show that boys represent 80% of the victims and perpetrators of violence, with homicide being one of the leading causes of death among this group.

Research has shown that childhood abuse increases the risk of adult criminal behaviour. Child victims of violence were more likely to be perpetrators of later violence towards peers and in romantic relationships.

It is evident that the violence perpetrated against children follows them into adult life and spills out into society. The consequences of this are seen in the levels of violence in our country.

Can it be as simple as ending violence against children to end the violence in our society?

It is time to end violence against children.

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There are many children’s vaccine trials that are underway.

What to learn more about them?

The Jamaica vaccine rollout has begun for adults with plans to inoculate children with an approved COVID-19 vaccine at a later date.

Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19 children’s vaccine trials

The government has inoculated over 26,000 people since the start of the Jamaica vaccine rollout on 10^th March 2021. Those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine are those who have been identified as priority groups ahead of the vaccination rollout.

A noticeable absence from the priority groups to be vaccinated are children.

Children are not currently part of the Jamaica vaccination schedule because children were not included in the COVID vaccine trials for the current vaccines.

In fact, COVID vaccine trials on children have only just begun with Moderna, Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca announcing that they will begin children’s vaccine trials.

About the COVID-19 Children’s Vaccine Trials

Moderna vaccine trial in children is expected to enrol 6,750 children in the USA and Canada.

Pfizer children’s vaccine trials aim to enrol 4,644 children in the USA and Europe.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca children’s vaccine trial will enrol 300 children aged 6-17 years old in the UK, with up to 240 children receiving the vaccine.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer trials will include children 6 months to 11 years with Moderna going up to age 12 years old.

The children’s vaccine trials are expected to continue through this year. If the outcomes of the trials are positive, the aim is to get the children’s vaccines approved in 2022.

It is not clear what is the duration of the Oxford/AstraZeneca children’s vaccine trial.

Why children’s vaccine trials?

The trials are being conducted to assess how safe and effective the vaccines are in children.

Each company is trying to assess the correct doses of the vaccines that can be given to children and how they will be tolerated.

The COVID vaccines being used in the trials are not new vaccines but vaccines that were already developed and are currently being used for adults.

This means the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines which are administered as a two-shot vaccine, will be administered the same way in children.

The objective is to establish the safety and efficacy of the vaccines for children.

What does this mean for the Jamaica vaccine rollout?

A successful COVID vaccine in children has implications for the reopening of schools.

Currently, schools have been closed due to the increasing number of cases in both schools and the general population.

According to the latest order, schools are to remain closed except for those students sitting exit exams.

There is no guarantee that Jamaican schools will reopen for normal face-to-face sessions this year or next year.

We know from experience through multiple attempts to reopen schools over the past year, that until the spread of COVID-19 is controlled, schools cannot operate as they used to.

However, these COVID vaccine trials bring the possibility of increasing the number of people who can be vaccinated and, therefore, stopping the spread of the virus by including children in this population.

The government aims to inoculate 65% of the population by March 2022, with the first 32% being inoculated by the end of the second phase of the current vaccine rollout.

According to STATIN population data, children between 0-18 years old account for 14% of our population.

Taking this into account, if the children’s vaccine trials are successful and approved to be administered in the under 18 year age group, Jamaica could be able to inoculate approximately 80% of the population by 2022/23.

Through COVAX, the global vaccine sharing initiative, Jamaica has procured the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines for its adult population.

If the children’s vaccine trials are successful and approval is given from the relevant regulated bodies, it is expected that Jamaica will procure approved COVID vaccines for its child population.

As many countries are still at the beginning of their vaccination rollout, any dreams of returning to normalcy should have at least a one to two-year timeline.

The great thing about this news is at least we can dream, we see better days ahead.

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