Thursday, 06 May 2021 | PNS | Kotdwar
Amid the sharp surge in Covid-19 cases in the state it is better to stay indoors and stay safe but during this bleak time the mental health of children is also a major concern for parents. With most parents keeping children indoors considering that the virus is airborne, the resulting conditions are taking a toll on the mental health of the children.
Neuropsychologist and counsellor Dr. Sona Kaushal Gupta said, “Now children are also showing symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety so first parents should avoid watching negative things and prevent their children from watching such things because this will definitely affect the mental health of the child. Children will act like their parents do so it is important for parents to stay positive,” she said.
She suggested, “After studies spend quality time with your children, play with them, talk to them and surround them with all the positive stuff. It is important to understand that kind of difficult situation is going to be there for some time so teach your child to follow all the Covid guidelines properly.” she added.
Talking about the importance of Yoga during this time she suggests, “This is the most important time to teach your children about taking care of their health and do Yoga and meditation. This is the biggest need of the hour to keep your mental health in check. Spend quality time with yourself and talk to your support system whether it’s your friends or family.”
Clinical psychologist Dr. Mukul Sharma said that a rise in fear is being witnessed among children due to the current scenario. He said, “Fear of infection and fatality is contributing to the rise in anxiety amid the pandemic. We are hearing bad news like shortage of oxygen cylinders, lack of ventilators and beds in hospitals over and over again which can affect our mental and physical health too.” Talking about the role of parents in this situation he said that parents need to inform their children about the current situation based on some authentic source. “Make a routine, don’t let them indulge in screen time for long, talk to them, give them their personal space and also play games with them. It is important to basically keep the environment positive,” he added.
