COVID-19 can take a hidden toll on children
The fact that severe cases of COVID-19 in children are relatively rare has led some to claim that children are “spared” from the harmful effects of the novel coronavirus. But this should not lull us into a false sense of security that the kids will be all right.
There have been many discussions about the threats that COVID19 poses to parents. This includes not only threats from infection with the virus, but also many stressors due to the economic downturn and unintended consequences of social distancing and isolation policies. However, tragically, the impact of these same stressors on children have received much less attention.
Even in the absence of a direct physical attack of the virus on children, this pandemic poses a direct threat to them.
As researchers in the fields of psychology and genetics, we have spent decades investigating how many of the changes associated with the pandemic — from family income to parental stress — can negatively impact children’s developing brains, immune systems, and ability to thrive. We are especially concerned because while some impacts will be immediate, many may only become apparent decades from now when it is too late to address them unless we act now.
Economic changes can leave a lasting mark on our children. A shocking 44 per cent of Canadian households have already suffered job losses or reduced hours during the pandemic.
Research has shown that household income is related to asthma, obesity, depression, and educational outcomes in children, as well as their risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. Strikingly, household income in childhood is often a better predictor of health in adulthood than current income level. For example, one study of adults living in Vancouver found that an individual’s childhood economic circumstances was a stronger predictor of their metabolic health in adulthood than their current economic circumstances.
Another crucial factor that will impact kids is the closure of schools. Many of Canada’s over five million school-aged children remain without access to playgrounds, team sports, or group activities.
School provides children with a safe place to learn and play, and for many provides access to nutritious meals through school meal programs. Increased time at home with stressed-out parents will change the quality of parent-child interactions and, tragically, in some cases increase the occurrence of child abuse. Already, calls to Kids Help Phone, Canada’s 24/7 national support service for children, have increased by over 100 per cent.
Perhaps most worrisome, poverty, poor nutrition, parental stress and child abuse are among the early life experiences that can become biologically imprinted in children, in part by turning genes “on” or “off,” a process referred to as epigenetics. Epigenetic changes associated with these experiences can last all the way into adulthood and may be linked to chronic health conditions later in life.
The good news is that we can protect the next generation from becoming unintended casualties of the COVID-19 crisis. Research, much of which was pioneered by CIFAR, the Canadian-based global research charitable organization of which we are members, has identified factors that can protect children from stressful life events. Our research shows that the presence of warm and supportive adults in the lives of children — parents, grandparents, teachers and coaches, as well as close-knit communities — can protect developing brains and bodies when faced with adversity.
There are also policy actions we can take now in order to prevent this pandemic from having a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our children. We must provide direct support and prioritize children’s unique needs in our decisions and plans.
Measures should address the existing inequalities in health and education that are likely amplified by the pandemic. In the aftermath of financial shocks, we often see uneven recovery. Families with the least resources will be the first to lose income, homes and stability.
Canada has announced economic benefits to alleviate the financial burden of the pandemic, but it will be important to ensure that these benefits are sufficient to help families with children and that the restrictions for qualifying and applying do not result in the most vulnerable being left out.
Canada has also implemented many policies to help limit the spread of the virus. However, the unintended consequences of these policies on children have not been adequately considered.
As Canada continues to respond to the pandemic, we urge policy-makers to respond to the unique needs of children and seek scientific evidence. Consultations with a wide range of experts including pediatricians, psychologists and those with expertise in the biological impacts of early life experiences are needed. An important step in this direction would be to invest in the major priorities outlined by Children First Canada for mitigating the impact of the pandemic on children.
The world has banded together in a common fight against this virus, but children for the most part have been left out of the battle plan needed for a successful recovery.
As many children across Canada are yet to resume full-time school, are impacted by increasing unemployment in their families and witnessing first-hand a once-in-a-century health crisis, it is time to work collectively to ensure that this pandemic does not leave a vestige deep in the biology of our children and endanger their future life chances.
Dr. Michael Kobor is a fellow in the Child and Brain Development Program at CIFAR, professor and Canada Research chair in social epigenetics in the department of medical genetics at UBC; Dr. Candice Odgers is co-director of the Child and Brain Development Program at CIFAR and professor in the department of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine; Dr. Kim Schmidt is the research manager of the Healthy Starts Theme, B.C. Children’s Hospital Research Institute and the Social Exposome Research Cluster at UBC.