It has been investigated that preschool children are suffering from fear and stress due to corona just like adults.
Swedish researchers recently published how the pandemic has affected children.
Among the drawings drawn by children aged 4, 5, and 6 years old, 91 pictures containing information regarding Corona were analyzed. As a result, children were aware of the reality that they might become seriously ill and die from the disease.
Usually from the age of 5 to 7, children begin to understand that death is irreversible and that they are forever separated from the person who has died. But in this study, even four-year-olds expressed fears regarding the health crisis. In particular, his concern for his elderly relatives was revealed in the painting.
One child drew a grandmother surrounded by a virus she described as a monster.
Anna Sarkadi, a professor of public health at Uppsala University in Sweden, told Fortune that “people thought preschoolers didn’t go through much change before and following the pandemic, but they were also aware of the seriousness of the situation.”
The researchers found three themes related to virus risk in the picture.
First, the specific picture of the threat caused by the virus. The second shows the deteriorating living conditions. Thirdly, the virus spreads around the world and infects people.
The materials were collected through the Swedish Children’s Museum from April 2020 to February 2021.
Researchers say children have higher than expected levels of understanding health information.
For example, we understand how viruses spread and why it is important to wash your hands. A child drew bacteria that remain on hands when someone doesn’t wash them properly. Another picture depicts the virus as red dots all over the body.
Sarkadi advises that parents and teachers need to explain the coronavirus pandemic to their children.
Children acquire relevant knowledge from various sources of information, such as news and school friends. That is why it is important to provide appropriate health information through questions and conversations. This is because even young children suffer from painful emotions.
“We should try to provide appropriate information to young children,” Sarkadi said. “Even without health education, children are still looking for relevant information.”
Although the study was conducted on Swedish children, he argued that other countries that have experienced strict lockdowns will be equally or worse. It is still unknown how the ongoing pandemic has affected the world’s youngest population.
“We cannot guarantee that children under the age of 4 have not been affected,” Sarkadi said.
