Abstract
BackgroundMeasures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant lifestyle changes for children and adolescents mainly related to the closure of schools and recreational activities, reduced social interaction, and increased family concerns.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey of 78 questions investigating social determinants of health, mood changes, symptoms of anxiety, increase in sleep disorders and unusual repetitive movements was offered to parents living in Italy with children ≤18 years; including families of children with disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, chronic diseases, and specific learning disabilities. The survey was conducted on the Qualtrics platform 6 months after the beginning of the pandemic and distributed in hospitals and paediatricians’ waiting rooms as well as through social networks. The primary outcomes were the increase in sleep disorders among children and adolescents. Possible risk factors were investigated through multivariable regression.ResultsSix thousand two hundred ten volunteer parents responded to the questions concerning mood changes, sleep disorders and unusual repetitive movements, and were included in the present study. The majority were female (91.8%) and Italian (97.0%). 72.7% answered that their children had become more nervous, worried, or sad (80.2% in children with learning disabilities); 77.6% reported feelings of loneliness and 69.3% more difficulties in children falling asleep, 30.2% in staying asleep, and 18.7% an increase in nightmares and/or sleep terrors. Statistical analysis identified socioeconomic status, parent’s job loss, food insecurity, family attitude toward the pandemic, and children’s mood swing, feelings of loneliness, or missing outdoor activities, as major risk factors for sleep disorders.ConclusionThe first Covid-19 lockdown impacted children’s and adolescents’ health through an increase in sleep disorders. In the following phases of the pandemic, this evidence may be useful to investigate and treat these disorders as well as make decisions about containment health policies concerning this age group.
Highlights
Measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant lifestyle changes for children and adolescents mainly related to the closure of schools and recreational activities, reduced social interaction, and increased family concerns
We aimed to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 quarantine on sleep quality as an indicator of psychological well-being among children and adolescents living in Italy
Almost 60% considered their means more difficult or at risk after the pandemic. Regarding their attitude during the lockdown, parents thought that their children had mainly missed meeting friends and outdoor activities, and reported that they had become more nervous, worried, or sad, and that they had had feelings of loneliness in 72.7 and 67.6% of cases, respectively
Summary
Measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic led to significant lifestyle changes for children and adolescents mainly related to the closure of schools and recreational activities, reduced social interaction, and increased family concerns. The novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread across the globe since December 2019 and drastically changed daily life for billions of people. This pandemic and its associated societal response is thought to have wide-ranging impacts on youth development and child mental health [1]. Sleep is an important factor that influences the cognitive, behavioural, and functional development of children [14,15,16]. It is important to detect disturbances in the sleep-wake rhythm at an early stage in order to avoid short- and long-term consequences
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