The world has suffered through epidemics and pandemics in the past. Experience tells us that child abuse and neglect increase during such periods.
Apart from increasing mortality and morbidity all over the world, the Covid-19 pandemic will cause mental health problems in some children and will hit hard on children prone to abuse. It is a known fact that children are more vulnerable than adults to suffer heightened emotional distress when their routine life is disrupted by such events. Every child’s reaction is different. Some may show obvious signs of fear and anxiety; others may present as if nothing is happening.
The stress may manifest in them as aggression or reclusion. It is important to understand and validate their feelings. As adults, we sometimes ignore the fact that our children are living in the same environment as us and are trying to decipher the gravity of the situation as best as they can.
Parents and caregivers need to remember that children are good observers – your reaction to stress is their best tool to assess the situation. It is normal for anxiety and stress to develop in an adult when there is uncertainty about the future, but it is abnormal when one is unable to contain it. This may lead to violent behaviour towards children, who are, in general, the most susceptible targets.
We also know that more than 80 percent of the time perpetrators of sexual abuse are someone known to the child. During lockdown, children are home 24 hours or, in the circumstances of a parent contracting an illness, may be sent to relatives and acquaintances, making them even more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Particularly at risk are children who have undergone previous trauma, have mental or physical health problems, have parents who have mental health problems or are at high-risk of emotional disturbance because of current medical, financial and social conditions.
This pandemic is going to significantly affect children’s safety in the country unless we prepare for it and spread awareness at the same level as we are doing for hand washing, social distancing and isolation. Besides keeping them safe from the coronavirus, how can we make sure our children are protected physically and mentally? It is reassuring to know that with the provision of a consistent supportive environment, most children do well.
The most important way is to make them feel safe and secure. This can only be done if the parent or caregiver is feeling secure themselves. It is important to understand that everyone in the world is affected by the pandemic. Some of us are hit harder than others but the feeling of uncertainty is universal. Therefore, the best solution is to focus on what is in our control. Taking care of our own mental well-being is the best gift a parent can give to their child.
Instead of leaving children to interpret the current situation on their own, explain what is happening around them in an age-appropriate way. Do not wait for them to ask questions; be proactive in sitting down with them and asking them about their opinions and concerns of the current environment. Find out if they are worried about their or their family’s safety and if they feel scared, angry or sad. Reassurance that you are there to protect them is invaluably helpful.
Use child-friendly materials on Covid-19 to teach them simple hygiene activities such as proper handwashing technique and using your elbow when sneezing among other measures. This will not only make them feel like they are contributing to positive outcomes but will also make them feel like they are in control of the situation. It is also important to limit their exposure to news, social media and discussions of the pandemic as these are often difficult to process for a child.
Creating routine in the child’s life helps diminish the stress stemming from the chaos outside. While a minority of schools in Pakistan are doing a great job of keeping children busy through virtual classes, a majority of schools are unable to keep in contact with their pupils due to the unavailability of support and resources.
It becomes the parents’ and caregivers’ responsibility to keep children engaged with learning, safe activities and playtime. Some ideas to keep them busy include learning new languages, learning how to play new instruments or learning how to cook. Depending on the availability of the internet, enrolling in free online courses provided by reputable international institutions is also an option. Furthermore, social distancing may have isolated some children from their only source of emotional support – friends or family. It is important for them to stay connected through letters, telephone or video chat.
It is vital to know the whereabouts of your child inside and outside of your house. You should know who your child is with 24 hours of the day. Do not leave them with anyone you do not wholly trust. This is a good time to teach them about safeguarding their body and differentiating between safe and unsafe touches. Internet safety rules should be explained to children who have access to the internet and great care must be taken to see that the rules are being adhered to. Professional help should be sought for children that are going through significant emotional or behavioral changes at any time.
Countries with well-organized child protection services are vigilant and prepared to protect their children in tragedies such as the world is going through. The problem with Pakistan is that we have not yet given importance to the protection of our children. Our systems are broken with no coordination between police, child protection agencies and courts. The helplines are a decorative and hollow shell of a well-functioning system and are unable to provide information beyond self-help. Unchecked population growth, poverty and corruption have constricted Pakistan’s ability to provide basic rights to children as agreed upon in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In this air of unpredictability, I worry for the child who is a victim of physical abuse by their parent. I worry for the child who is being neglected because of a parent’s mental health. I worry for the child who is being sexually abused by their parents, relatives, teachers or religious instructors under the oblivious eye of their caretaker. I worry for the teenager who is being sexually abused in exchange for money or food. I worry for our child beggars. I worry for our child labourers both domestic and otherwise.
Let’s unite to not only safeguard our own children but every child in Pakistan. This can be done by spreading awareness and informing those who are ignorant and do not take these matters seriously. One can only hope that once this pandemic is over, our country’s leaders will give attention to this vulnerable part of our country too.
The writer is a pediatrician at The Aga Khan UniversityHospital, Karachi and also works on the child abuse issue.
