As adults grapple with the impact that COVID-19 has had on communities across the globe, kids are feeling the effects as well.

“The mental health of children and adolescents have been impacted by the pandemic,” shared Teresa Bernard, La Rabida Staff Therapist. “Some have struggled with anxiety and depressive symptoms, while others have been able to manage life stressors and strengthen their mental health.”

The quick transition to remaining at home and the decrease in socialization have been difficult for many, including children. Kids are accustomed to spending their days in the classroom and interacting with peers and educators. Overnight, their world was flipped upside down and are now spending the entirety of their days at home. This can lead to an increase in feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression.

While these changes have been challenging for some, there are a number of children who have had a positive experience with the shift in lifestyle. A decrease in stressors related to school environments, busy schedules, and bullying along with the increase in time spent with family have helped improve the mental health of some kids.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, La Rabida’s Behavioral Health team has utilized telehealth resources to continue working with families. Even though they cannot physically come to La Rabida, families have shared that they feel supported by having the ability to continue their discussions in a virtual manner. Some patients have even expressed that their mental health has improved during this time due to the increase in accessibility for counseling through telehealth.

“Behavioral health has adapted to the new normal at this time and has been able to provide services to families over the past four months. We’ve adapted how we engage families and have continued to provide support since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Teresa.

These remote sessions include modified activities that are conducted in traditional sessions. This includes things like modified board games, interactive activities, and even yoga. Cassidy Anderson, Staff Therapist at La Rabida, has been offering two yoga classes via telehealth – one geared towards teenage girls and another that involves the patient and their caregiver.

“We wanted to find a creative way to get movement incorporated in the kids’ weeks as well as help them manage the stress of having to stay inside,” explained Cassidy. However, their support doesn’t stop there.

La Rabida’s Behavioral Health department has also worked to help ease the transition to learning from home. Whether it’s assisting families in gaining the internet and technology necessary for remote learning, participating in informational meetings about e-learning implementation for students with 504/IEP needs, obtaining resources for housing and financial assistance, or connecting patients to the appropriate food based resources, our team of dedicated behavioral health professionals have ensured our families have the support they need to make it through these challenging times.

This story was featured in the July 2020 issue of eCurrents, La Rabida's monthly newsletter. To view the July issue of eCurrents, click here.