As we face the prospect of another lockdown in an effort to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, child and youth psychologist Iris Pérez believes it could be detrimental to the country’s mental health and generate even more uncertainty, "since, once again, we’ll be contemplating an indefinite number of days in lockdown".

 

For children, this measure means “more disruption to their routine which, if they have the right tools, they will be able to overcome”. In her opinion, "parents will need to outline a structured schedule so that children know when it is time to study, play, eat, exercise or sleep”.

 

Pérez, a lecturer on the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, explained that during the first lockdown, children’s use of digital devices increased by an alarming and unexpected amount; “we have seen children who were connected to such a device for up to nine hours a day”. That being so, she has made it clear that using technology to study can be beneficial, but using it for entertainment purposes, without control or supervision, may end up having the opposite effect.

 

However, for these risk groups, the challenge could become a significant problem, “especially for children who already suffer from psychological disorders, those who find it difficult to develop adequate strategies to cope with changes in routine and those whose parents face the situation from a position of conflict," explained the psychologist.

 

The expert also stressed that children tend to have a unique resilience that makes them more adept to dealing with stressful situations in a flexible way and that helps them adapt even better than adults.