Children and Mental Health
Definable factors that have changed mental health in children during the COVID Era. The documented effects on the microbiome are vital in understanding the gut-brain relationship, referred to as the gut-brain axis. Additionally, the factors that have created the increase in mental health stressors include:
• Disruption of routines
• Social disconnection
• Increased stress in parents and family members
• Messaging regarding continual dangers and threats to once-normal activities
• Loss and grief of close relationships outside the immediate family
It must be emphasized that children do not have control over their environments. A year of their lives is very significant in the context of their age. Recent data shows that pandemic-related disruptions and mental health in our youth have produced an increase in anxiety and depression, suicidal ideation, and suicidal attempts compared to before the pandemic, exacerbated in vulnerable populations.
A pivotal study from the UK, the Myriad Project, involved more than 28,000 children, 650 teachers, 100 schools, and 20 million data points. It showed a comparative analysis of the present mental health of thousands of UK secondary school pupils to their mental health before the COVID-19 pandemic. A summary of their findings is concerning:
• Young people who went through the pandemic were more likely to experience increased depression, social, emotional and behavioral difficulties, and worsening general mental well-being.
• While mental health declined in both groups over time, those in the pandemic experienced a worsening in their mental health:
◦ Cases of depression increased by 8.5% in those going through the pandemic versus 0.3% in the pre-pandemic group.
◦ Cases of high/very high social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties increased by 7.9% in the pandemic cohort vs 3.5% in the pre-pandemic cohort.
◦ Cases of possible/probable mental health difficulties increased by 12.8% in the pandemic group versus 4.5% in the pre-pandemic group.
• Girls and those initially at low risk of mental health difficulties experienced more deterioration during the pandemic.
• A positive school climate, good relationships at home, and a friend to turn to for support during lockdown were protective factors.
• Even partial school attendance during lockdown was better for the subsequent adjustment when returning to school than no attendance.
The financial impact of the increase in mental health costs soared 26% higher during the pandemic than previously, led by anxiety and ADHD, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Additionally, Telehealth services were 30 times more often than prior to the pandemic.
Back to School
It is clear that children going back to school is a key factor for the recapture of overall health losses sustained during the COVID pandemic The message here is that the optimization of the school environment is a essential in regaining children’s well-being and reversing the disastrous mental health deteriorations experienced. One of the best ways to reclaim and strengthen the our children’s health is through nutrition.
School nutrition is one of the best ways to support children’s transition back to health.
Optimal dietary nutrition can be used for health resilience (especially during peak viral seasons). Maximizing nutrition impacts every aspect of a child’s health, particularly learning.
An adequate amount of minerals (i.e., iron, zinc, magnesium); vitamins A, B, and C; omega 3 EFAs in balance; and quality macronutrients in terms of proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates will improve children’s learning capacity. Many American children receive the bulk of their meals from school lunches.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free lunches to children, operating in over 100,000 schools/child-care facilities. Many of the increased meals provided during the Pandemic expired in 2022. Common sense dictates that participation in the USDA’s school lunch program can significantly reduce food scarcity facing many of America’s youth. Children from homes with food insecurity are more likely to eat school meals, receiving most of their nutrition from provided meals.
The question is: Do the school lunches provide the necessary nutrition to feed children, especially those children who are more vulnerable? School meals should meet Federal nutrition standards. Those dietary guidelines published in the 2020-2025 Executive Summary state the following:
“…Nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods and beverages—specifically, nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Nutrient-dense foods provide vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting components and have no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
A healthy dietary pattern consists of nutrient-dense forms of foods and beverages across all food groups, in recommended amounts, and within calorie limits.