There are no deaths, but anxiety, depression, and domestic violence are on the rise.
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Quebec’s youngest residents were severely affected by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study from the province Early childhood observatory has found.
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The study The good news is that “the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 is very low in children and there have been no deaths from COVID-19 in children 0 to 5 years old.”
However, other side effects of the social disruption brought on by the health crisis were found in the province’s younger demographic.
- According to the most recent data available to analysts, 40 percent of children ages 3 to 5 did not meet physical activity guidelines and just over half (52 percent) exceeded recommended screen times.
- In 2019-2020, 1,696 children ages 1 to 5 had been diagnosed with anxiety disorders and depression, primarily social phobia, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression.
- In 2019-2020, 4,877 children ages 1 to 5 had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 2,708 children in the same age group had attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD).
The study also found that, as in many other countries, a growing number of mothers of children ages 6 months to 5 years were victims of intimate partner violence during pregnancy.
Reference-montrealgazette.com