The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children´s daily routines

• Autor(a) principal: Abrantes, Joana Patrícia Santos Coelho Almeida
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Sousa Candeias, Inês Filipa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.48492/servir0203.28021
• topic: COVID-19; Saúde; Crianças; COVID-19; Health; Children; COVID-19; Salud; Niños

  Introduction: The measures against the pandemic of COVID-19 are a challenge for children and parents and the detrimental effects on children’s health are documented especially from social isolation measures and school closures. Objective: To study the impact of confinement on our children’s daily lives and their health. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive study with a cross-sectional focus. Sample consisting on 280 parents of children from the geographical region of Alentejo, namely Elvas and Campo Maior counties, Health Region: Regional Health Administration of Alentejo. An ad hoc questionnaire was applied as data collection resource, available online. Results: The results reveal that, in a sample of 53.6% of male children and 46.4% of female children, with a mean age of 9,11±2,56 years, 22 children (7.9%) had the need for referral to specialized psychology/psychiatry consultation, with 6.1% being referred to specialized psychology consultation and, with an equal percentage value (0.7%, respectively) to psychology/psychiatry consultation and psychiatry consultation. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 10 children (3.6%) were diagnosed with some psychological problem. Of these children, 4 (25.0%) showed anxiety, 4 (25.0%) lack of social competence, 2 (12.0%) panic attacks, 2 (12.0%) attention deficit and 1 (6.0%) depressive symptoms; 87.5% showed more appetite, 71.4% were agitated, 17.1% were bored and had difficulty concentrating. The routines that suffered the greatest change during isolation were time for physical activity (97.9%), play time (91.0%), wake-up time (42.5%), bedtime (37.9%), study time (37.9%), and meal times (17.1%). Conclusion: The results suggest a multi-professional and intersectoral teamwork so that effective strategies can be designed to minimize the effects of the pandemic on the health of our children.