A Silent Struggle: Understanding Childhood Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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In early 2020, the world changed almost overnight. As COVID-19 swept across the world, homes were repurposed as schools, playgrounds and classrooms were abandoned, and family routines changed utterly or vanished. People were forced to adapt to remote working, many lost their jobs, and a significant proportion of us experienced anxiety about the virus that had turned the world upside down. However, amid this pandemonium, one group of people was especially vulnerable: children. We often think of childhood as a carefree time, protected from responsibilities, worries and burdens. However, the pandemic shattered this illusion. For many children, it caused confusion, isolation, and fear. Recognizing the need to understand this impact, Dr. Carlos Lastra and his team of researchers at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Jersey, undertook an essential study: assessing how the pandemic affected anxiety levels in children and adolescents.