Contemporary pandemic reality made numerous people immersed in depression as well as impacted their physical health harshly. Children severely suffer from the stress that COVID-19 causes, too. Like any other historical event, this one may influence children’s growth and development both in the short and long run. Namely, fragile organisms are affected by many sides of quarantine: they can obtain weight excess, social and language impairment, and depression.
First of all, the governmental policy aimed at the less life-taking overcoming of the pandemic restricted children’s ability to engage in physical activities, thus affecting their bodily fitness. Access to public parks, sports courts, and clubs, and even walking around the city have been restrained for a long time. Consequently, during this time, children’s exposure to fresh air and exercise was diminished to a minimum (Harvey, 2021). This change might lead to the loss of healthful habituation to physical activity and weight increase, which would be difficult to overcome for young people later (Harvey, 2021). Therefore, the virus crisis interrupting the accustomed regime of formerly active children is likely to harm their bodily strength and weight balance. 260
Secondly, the conditions of social isolation could provoke certain deficiencies in the cognitive maturation of children. In order for a brain to develop correctly, one should receive comprehensive data from the outside, specifically from the other humans. A brain needs to process face images, read body language, and interact with different individuals to learn how to communicate with people, understand them, and use language. In quarantine, this information is scarce; as a result, cognitive impairment is possible (Araújo et al., 2020). In brief, the outcomes of the current situation for cognitive well-being are profound, as it restrains children from normal brain development.
Thirdly, the lessened number of human interactions would be responsible for various social deviances in the future of growing children. Notably, the places where children could communicate both with adults and their friends–kindergartens, schoolhouses, art clubs–are closed. As a result, some social norms, potential creative realizations, and educational basics would be missed. Consequently, the socialization process is delayed so that these individuals would have problems entering a university, getting a job, and connecting with other people (Araújo et al., 2020). Overall, for a person to achieve somewhat of a social acceptance and colloquize efficiently, live intercourse is required, but COVID-19 limits the implementation of this for children.
Finally, the mental health of children and their parents is endangered. According to Araújo et al. (2020), “the “parents” group had higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression when compared with the “no children” group, a statistically significant difference” (p. 2). That means that adults worry about their progeny, although this overwhelmed state may cause serious problems. These depressed parents cannot continue to care about their children properly, thus beginning the vicious circle of transferring their disorders. As a result, children become mentally ill; in turn, mental instability influences social life and physical health. Given these points, it could be safely stated that isolation has a prolonged negative effect on children’s mental health.
To conclude, the COVID situation has done various harm to the population, especially children. These are in the stage of constant growth and development, which is interrupted by limitations due to viral danger. The long-run consequences to physical health include a deficit inactive life and sports and the possibility of future obesity. Social and cognitive development is severely damaged as the social brain area does not receive the data needed. Finally, depression and anxiety that parents can embrace have their outcomes on children.
Furthermore, our company attempts to overcome disparities in the medical sphere on the same ground as Health Leads hub does, with seemingly positive results. The latter organization aims program that helps people in “identifying, accessing and choosing the resources everyone needs to be healthy,” which is consistent with our policy (About us, n.d., para. 3). Specifically, our workers are educated in social sciences as well as medicine, and they apply this knowledge in their practice. In fact, much data is being collected and analyzed constantly to improve our service. Therefore, the Health Leads program would work in the adult daycare center “1”, as we have specialists apt to work with different social groups properly and data that guide our further progress.
References
Araújo, L. A. D., Veloso, C. F., Souza, M. D. C., Azevedo, J. M. C. D., & Tarro, G. (2020). The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child growth and development: a systematic review. Jornal de Pediatria, 1–9. Web.
Harvey, G. (2021). Is the pandemic affecting children’s development? Patient. Web.
