Eight Warning Signs Your Child is Struggling in Lockdown 

  • Family

Lockdown can often be downplayed as just having to be at home but this truly dismisses the fact we are currently navigating what has been described as most adverse time since WWII.

And by we, we mean us adults but also our children who have had everything they knew and love removed from their lives. 

Their normal routine, schooling, friends and extended family are now all missing from daily life in isolation. 

But when you're struggling with the juggle of managing homeschooling and working and facing the suffocating feeling of life with your bubbl 24/7, the warning signs your child isn't coping can easily slide past you. 

NSW chief psychiatrist Murray Wright recently shared with 2GB that children also present struggling in a completely different way to us adults. 

And to help parents, Dr Wright shared the top eight red flags that your child is struggling in lockdown. They are:

-Disturbed sleep patterns or difficulty falling asleep
-Increased clinginess
-New or heightened behavioural issues
-Physical symptoms such as stomach pain or headaches
-Asking for your help when they are capable of doing the task themselves
-Looking for reassurance more often than usual
-Focussing on the scary or negative side of things first
-Worrying about outcomes out of their control

Mental Health Battle in Lockdown

Since NSW and then Victoria were hit with the Delta strain and the community was once again forced into lockdown, mental health has been a silent struggle for many/ 

Victorian Government have just reported that a staggering 340 teenagers a week had been admitted to hospital suffering mental health emergencies. That's a whopping 57 per cent increase on last year.

There's also a sharp rise in teenagers self-harming with emergency wards across NSW seeing a 31 percent increase admissions in children and teens for self-hard or suicidal ideation.

RELATED: How To Keep Your Kids Connected with Family in Lockdown

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 “We should assume every single person in the community is impacted by the pandemic and restrictions," said Dr Wright. 

“Some kids will act out and get irritable, angry, defiant, some kids will withdraw, some kids, particularly younger kids, might become clingy and really insecure.

“I think the starting point should be, parents should assume kids are struggling with the pandemic because we all are, and make it a topic of conversation.”

Help is There if You Need it 

So your child is showing some, or maybe all, signs? Then it's time to reach out to the professionals. 

A great resource comes from the Smiling Mind which are sending out care packs for cghildren aged five to 12.

There's also Beyond Blue’s BE YOU  for more resources for children. 

And most importantly, always speak to a GP or paediatrician for more support.

Other Ways to Connect During Lockdown

How Kids can Connect With Friends During Lockdown
Kids Classes you can Access Online
The Best Podcasts for Kids

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