Pediatrics

Article Psychology, Developmental

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents in Germany

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, Anne Kaman, Michael Erhart, Janine Devine, Robert Schlack, Christiane Otto

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental health and health-related quality of life of children and adolescents in Germany. Over two-thirds of the participants reported being highly burdened by the pandemic, with those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with migration backgrounds, and limited living spaces being significantly more affected.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)

Review Psychology, Developmental

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on child and adolescent mental health: systematic review

Urvashi Panchal, Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo, Macarena Franco, Carmen Moreno, Mara Parellada, Celso Arango, Paolo Fusar-Poli

Summary: This study reviews the existing literature on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the mental health of children and adolescents. The findings show that anxiety and depression symptoms are common, and children and adolescents frequently experience irritability and anger. Special needs, pre-existing mental disorders, and excessive media exposure are significant risk factors for anxiety, while good parent-child communication can be protective.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2023)

Review Psychology, Clinical

Review: Mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and youth - a systematic review

Hasina Samji, Judy We, Amilya Ladak, Caralyn Vossen, Evelyn Stewart, Naomi Dove, David Long, Gaelen Snell

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents, leading to increased fear, depressive and anxious symptoms compared to before the pandemic. Older adolescents, girls, and those with neurodiversities or chronic physical conditions are more likely to experience adverse mental health outcomes, while factors like physical exercise, access to entertainment, positive familial relationships, and social support are associated with better mental health outcomes.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH (2022)

Review Pediatrics

School Closures During Social Lockdown and Mental Health, Health Behaviors, and Well-being Among Children and Adolescents During the First COVID-19 Wave A Systematic Review

Russell Viner, Simon Russell, Rosella Saulle, Helen Croker, Claire Stansfield, Jessica Packer, Dasha Nicholls, Anne-Lise Goddings, Chris Bonell, Lee Hudson, Steven Hope, Joseph Ward, Nina Schwalbe, Antony Morgan, Silvia Minozzi

Summary: This study reviews the association of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic with the mental health, health behaviors, and well-being of children and adolescents. The findings suggest that school closures are associated with adverse mental health symptoms and unhealthy behaviors among children and adolescents. However, it is difficult to determine the direct impact of school closures as they are often implemented as part of broader social lockdown measures.

JAMA PEDIATRICS (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Mostly worse, occasionally better: impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Canadian children and adolescents

Katherine Tombeau Cost, Jennifer Crosbie, Evdokia Anagnostou, Catherine S. Birken, Alice Charach, Suneeta Monga, Elizabeth Kelley, Rob Nicolson, Jonathon L. Maguire, Christie L. Burton, Russell J. Schachar, Paul D. Arnold, Daphne J. Korczak

Summary: This study examined the impact of COVID-19 emergency measures on child/adolescent mental health, finding that most children/adolescents experienced deterioration across various domains, with those with pre-existing psychiatric diagnoses experiencing more severe deterioration. Increased stress from social isolation was associated with deterioration, while economic concerns were linked to improvement in certain mental health domains. Enhancing social interactions for children/adolescents will be crucial in mitigating the effects of current and future waves of COVID-19.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Families in the COVID-19 pandemic: parental stress, parent mental health and the occurrence of adverse childhood experiences-results of a representative survey in Germany

Claudia Calvano, Lara Engelke, Jessica Di Bella, Jana Kindermann, Babette Renneberg, Sibylle M. Winter

Summary: This study surveyed 1024 parents of underage children in Germany, finding that parental stress increased during the pandemic, and some families reported higher occurrences of children witnessing domestic violence and verbal emotional abuse.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)

Article Pediatrics

Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-19: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals

Jamie Perin, Amy Mulick, Diana Yeung, Francisco Villavicencio, Gerard Lopez, Kathleen L. Strong, David Prieto-Merino, Simon Cousens, Robert E. Black, Li Liu

Summary: This article presents updated cause-specific mortality rates for neonates and children under 5 years old from 2000 to 2019. The study used a Bayesian framework and improved statistical methods to analyze the data, including mortality due to tuberculosis.

LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH (2022)

Article Pediatrics

Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk

Joan Younger Meek, Lawrence Noble

Summary: Breastfeeding and human milk are important for infant health and neurodevelopment. The AAP and WHO recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and continued breastfeeding for at least 2 years. Contraindications to breastfeeding are rare and hospitals should support breastfeeding initiation and duration. Pediatricians play a critical role in advocating for breastfeeding and need training in managing breastfeeding.

PEDIATRICS (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Vulnerability and resilience in children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Winnie W. Y. Tso, Rosa S. Wong, Keith T. S. Tung, Nirmala Rao, King Wa Fu, Jason C. S. Yam, Gilbert T. Chua, Eric Y. H. Chen, Tatia M. C. Lee, Sherry K. W. Chan, Wilfred H. S. Wong, Xiaoli Xiong, Celine S. Chui, Xue Li, Kirstie Wong, Cynthia Leung, Sandra K. M. Tsang, Godfrey C. F. Chan, Paul K. H. Tam, Ko Ling Chan, Mike Y. W. Kwan, Marco H. K. Ho, Chun Bong Chow, Ian C. K. Wong, Patrick Lp

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the psychosocial wellbeing of children, especially those with special educational needs, chronic diseases, mothers with mental illness, single-parent families, and low-income families. Delayed bedtime, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, and excessive use of electronic devices are associated with higher parental stress and more psychosocial problems among young children.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Parental experiences of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic: differences between seven European countries and between children with and without mental health conditions

Lisa B. Thorell, Charlotte Skoglund, Almudena Gimenez de la Pena, Dieter Baeyens, Anselm B. M. Fuermaier, Madeleine J. Groom, Irene C. Mammarella, Saskia van der Oord, Barbara J. van den Hoofdakker, Marjolein Luman, Debora Marques de Miranda, Angela F. Y. Siu, Ricarda Steinmayr, Iman Idrees, Lorrayne Stephane Soares, Matilda Sorlin, Juan Luis Luque, Ughetta M. Moscardino, Maja Roch, Giulia Crisci, Hanna Christiansen

Summary: This study examined parental experiences of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, finding that many parents reported negative effects such as stress, worry, social isolation, and domestic conflict, with some indicating increased alcohol/drug use. Negative experiences were more common in families with a child with a mental health condition, but differences between countries and families were generally small.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Child, parent, and family mental health and functioning in Australia during COVID-19: comparison to pre-pandemic data

E. M. Westrupp, C. Bennett, T. Berkowitz, G. J. Youssef, J. W. Toumbourou, R. Tucker, F. J. Andrews, S. Evans, S. J. Teague, G. C. Karantzas, G. M. Melvin, C. Olsson, J. A. Macdonald, C. J. Greenwood, A. Mikocka-Walus, D. Hutchinson, M. Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. A. Stokes, L. Olive, A. G. Wood, J. A. McGillivray, E. Sciberras

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of the population, including parents and children. During the pandemic period, parents reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as increased irritability and alcohol consumption. Younger parent age, financial deprivation, pre-existing physical and mental health conditions, COVID-19 stressors, and housing dissatisfaction were associated with poorer parent and child functioning and strained family relationships.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2023)

Article Pediatrics

Physical and mental health 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection (long COVID) among adolescents in England (CLoCk): a national matched cohort study

Terence Stephenson, Snehal M. Pinto Pereira, Roz Shafran, Bianca L. de Stavola, Natalia Rojas, Kelsey McOwat, Ruth Simmons, Maria Zavala, Lauren O'Mahoney, Trudie Chalder, Esther Crawley, Tamsin J. Ford, Anthony Harnden, Isobel Heyman, Olivia Swann, Elizabeth Whittaker, Shamez N. Ladhani

Summary: The study found that adolescents aged 11-17 who tested positive for COVID-19 had similar symptoms to those who tested negative, but had a higher prevalence of single and, particularly, multiple symptoms at the time of testing and 3 months later.

LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH (2022)

Article Pediatrics

Long COVID symptoms and duration in SARS-CoV-2 positive children-a nationwide cohort study

Luise Borch, Mette Holm, Maria Knudsen, Svend Ellermann-Eriksen, Soeren Hagstroem

Summary: The study aimed to evaluate symptoms and duration of 'long COVID' in children. It found that most children recovered from symptoms within 1-5 months, suggesting that long COVID in children is rare and mainly of short duration.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS (2022)

Article Pediatrics

Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 in Children

Rebecca C. Woodruff, Angela P. Campbell, Christopher A. Taylor, Shua J. Chai, Breanna Kawasaki, James Meek, Evan J. Anderson, Andy Weigel, Maya L. Monroe, Libby Reeg, Erica Bye, Daniel M. Sosin, Alison Muse, Nancy M. Bennett, Laurie M. Billing, Melissa Sutton, H. Keipp Talbot, Keegan McCaffrey, Huong Pham, Kadam Patel, Michael Whitaker, Meredith L. McMorrow, Fiona P. Havers

Summary: This study describes population-based rates and risk factors for pediatric severe COVID-19. The study found that children under the age of 2 with chronic lung disease, neurologic disorders, cardiovascular disease, prematurity, and airway abnormality, as well as children aged 2 to 17 depending on a feeding tube, with diabetes mellitus, and with obesity, are more susceptible to severe COVID-19. The results of this study are important for identifying high-risk children and implementing prevention efforts, including vaccination.

PEDIATRICS (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

Quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: results of a two-wave nationwide population-based study

Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, Anne Kaman, Michael Erhart, Christiane Otto, Janine Devine, Constanze Loeffler, Klaus Hurrelmann, Monika Bullinger, Claus Barkmann, Nico A. Siegel, Anja M. Simon, Lothar H. Wieler, Robert Schlack, Heike Hoelling

Summary: The German COPSY study is a longitudinal study that examines the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents. The study found that during the pandemic, the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents decreased, and there was an increase in emotional problems, peer-related mental health problems, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychosomatic complaints. Socially disadvantaged children and children of mentally burdened parents were more at risk of impaired mental health, while female gender and older age were associated with fewer mental health problems. A positive family climate and social support supported the mental health of children and adolescents during the pandemic.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2023)

Review Psychology, Developmental

Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 among Children and College Students: A Systematic Review

Jad A. Elharake, Faris Akbar, Amyn A. Malik, Walter Gilliam, Saad B. Omer

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of children and college students, leading to increased anxiety, depression, fatigue, and distress. Factors such as living in rural areas, low family socioeconomic status, and having a connection to healthcare workers have been associated with worse mental health outcomes. Future strategies should prioritize social contacts to support students at higher risk of social isolation during the pandemic.

CHILD PSYCHIATRY & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (2023)

Article Pediatrics

Executive Summary: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Obesity

Sarah E. Hampl, Sandra G. Hassink, Asheley C. Skinner, Sarah C. Armstrong, Sarah E. Barlow, Christopher F. Bolling, Kimberly C. Avila Edwards, Ihuoma Eneli, Robin Hamre, Madeline M. Joseph, Doug Lunsford, Eneida Mendonca, Marc P. Michalsky, Nazrat Mirza, Eduardo R. Ochoa, Mona Sharifi, Amanda E. Staiano, Ashley E. Weedn, Susan K. Flinn, Jeanne Lindros, Kymika Okechukwu

PEDIATRICS (2023)

Article Pediatrics

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Obesity

Sarah E. Hampl, Sandra G. Hassink, Asheley C. Skinner, Sarah C. Armstrong, Sarah E. Barlow, Christopher F. Bolling, Kimberly C. Avila Edwards, Ihuoma Eneli, Robin Hamre, Madeline M. Joseph, Doug Lunsford, Eneida Mendonca, Marc P. Michalsky, Nazrat Mirza, Eduardo R. Ochoa, Mona Sharifi, Amanda E. Staiano, Ashley E. Weedn, Susan K. Flinn, Jeanne Lindros, Kymika Okechukwu

PEDIATRICS (2023)

Article Pediatrics

Paediatric hospitalisations due to COVID-19 during the first SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant wave in South Africa: a multicentre observational study

Jeane Cloete, Annelet Kruger, Maureen Masha, Nicolette M. du Plessis, Dini Mawela, Mphailele Tshukudu, Tabea Manyane, Lekwetji Komane, Marietjie Venter, Waasila Jassat, Ameena Goga, Ute Feucht

Summary: South Africa has experienced a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, especially among pediatric patients, with the predominant variant being the SARS-CoV-2 omicron strain. The rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has occurred ahead of adult hospitalizations, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring to understand the long-term effects of the omicron variant on children and adolescents.

LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH (2022)

Article Psychology, Developmental

The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents

Sophie H. Li, Joanne R. Beames, Jill M. Newby, Kate Maston, Helen Christensen, Aliza Werner-Seidler

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents, with most experiencing a deterioration in mental health and negative effects on learning, friendships, and family relationships. Some adolescents, especially those with a history of depression and/or anxiety, experienced more severe effects on mental health.

EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY (2022)