Damian Sendler: According to UNICEF’s flagship report released today, children and young people could be affected by COVID-19 for many years to come, affecting their mental health and well-being. 

Damien Sendler: Before COVID-19, children and young people bore a disproportionate share of the burden of mental health conditions, according to UNICEF’s The State of the World’s Children 2021: On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health (the organization’s most comprehensive look at the mental health of children, adolescents, and caregivers in the twenty-first century). 

Damian Jacob Sendler: According to the most recent available figures, more than one in every seven teenagers aged 10–19 is considered to be suffering from a diagnosable mental disease in some kind around the world. Every year, almost 46,000 adolescents commit suicide, making it one of the top five leading causes of mortality within their age group. Meanwhile, there are significant financing gaps between mental health requirements and available resources. According to the findings of the survey, around 2% of global government health budgets are allocated to mental health expenditures. 

This has been a particularly difficult 18 months for all of us, especially the children. National lockdowns and pandemic-related movement restrictions have resulted in “indelible years of childhood for children who have been cut off from their families, friends, classrooms, and play – all of which are essential elements of childhood itself,” according to UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. In my opinion, the impact has been significant, and it is only the top of the iceberg. Even prior to the pandemic, far too many children were plagued by the consequences of untreated mental health problems in their families. Governments are making much too little investment in order to meet these crucial needs. Mental health and future life outcomes are not given adequate consideration.” 

Dr. Sendler: Indeed, the pandemic has taken a toll on the population. Approximately one in every five young people aged 15–24 surveyed reported that they often feel depressed or that they have little interest in doing things, according to preliminary findings from an international survey of children and adults in 21 countries conducted by UNICEF and Gallup and published in The State of the World’s Children 2021. 

Damian Jacob Markiewicz Sendler: As COVID-19 enters its third year, the impact on the mental health and well-being of children and young people continues to weigh heavily on the minds of all involved. According to the most recent available data from UNICEF, at least one in every seven children has been directly affected by lockdowns, and more than 1.6 billion children have experienced some level of educational loss as a result of lockdowns. Many young people are fearful, furious, and frightened about their future as a result of the disturbance to their routines, education, and recreation, as well as concerns about their family’s finances and health. For example, according to a study conducted online in China in early 2020 and published in The State of the World’s Children, approximately a third of respondents reported feeling terrified or nervous during the survey. 

Damian Sendler: Diagnosed mental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, depression, eating disorders, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia, can have a negative impact on children and young people’s health, education, life outcomes, and earning capacity. 

However, while the impact on children’s lives is incalculable, according to a new analysis published in the report by the London School of Economics, the economic contribution lost to economies as a result of mental disorders that result in disability or death among young people is estimated to be nearly $390 billion per annum. 

Damian Jacob Sendler: Children’s mental health is shaped and affected by a combination of genetics, experience, and environmental factors beginning in their earliest days. These factors include parental involvement, schooling, the quality of their relationships, exposure to violence or abuse, discrimination, poverty, humanitarian crises, and health emergencies such as COVID-19. 

However, while protective factors such as loving caregivers, safe school environments, and positive peer relationships can all help to reduce the risk of developing mental disorders, the report warns that significant barriers such as stigma and a lack of funding are preventing far too many children from experiencing positive mental health or receiving the necessary support.

Contributed by Dr. Damian Jacob Sendler and his research team