Page 24 - EW April 2021

EW SPOTLIGHT FEATURE
CHILDREN AND THE PANDEMIC - IN CONVERSATION WITH

DR. MAFFAZAL LAKDAWALA

• When is it safe to reopen schools • Is it safe for young children to not overdo it to risk anxiety and
for children below 10 years of age? wear masks? And at what age should mental fatigue). Not being able to
This is more a question that the masks be made compulsory for socialise and being physically distant
government should be concerned children sometimes even with family members
about. As a parent your concern It is safe for children of age 5 and and close friends can potentially have
should be that if your kids are to go above to wear masks. Make sure that an effect on their mental health which
back to school how sure are you that the masks are not too tight or that could lead to tantrums and emotional
the rest of the kids are not carrying asphyxiate them. Make sure that they distress. This also is an ideal situation
the virus into the school. One can do not wear masks while running or to bulidin on and encourage the child
monitor the staff and teachers playing active sports. to take on a hobby of interest. It could
but difficult to monitor the kids. • What do you think could be the be music, art or any extracurricular
Therefore the question one needs long term effects of the pandemic activity that may interest the child.
to ask oneself is are your kids safe on children - Physical, mental and With many online options this is
enough for the school or are the emotional health? one of the most productive ways to
schools safe enough for your kids. The last pandemic was almost deal with the lockdown and current
• Once the children are back in 90 years ago. We are yet to know restrictions.
classrooms what precautions do we the long term effects on the mental • What are your top
need to take from air purification and health of kids. They have suddenly recommendations to reduce the
ventilation view point? lost an entire year and stand the risk spread of the virus in schools?
Most of our kids are used to air of losing another year which are 1) Most important that children,
conditioned classrooms. I think important for their developmental staff and teachers should be masked
first and foremost we need is to do profile. From a physical point of up at all times.
away with that. We need to have view, as long as kids are actively 2) All classrooms should have
as much cross ventilated rooms as playing and not addicted to the open air rooms with plenty of cross
possible. We need to make sure that TV and playing only indoor games ventilation and lots of fans so that
there are enough fans and a proper they should be fine. Parents need to there is no static air in the classrooms.
ventilation system. We should also supervise and restrict screen time and 3) Hand sanitisers should be
ensure that the temperature of all maybe substitute individual activities available at frequent spots in the
the kids is checked at entry, and if with group activities such as a movie entire school, there should also
any child has a cough, cold or a fever night. Children need to have some be enough of soap and water for
it is the responsibility of the parent form of outing and outdoor time that children to wash their hands.
not to send the kids to school or for should be supervised by the parents. Washrooms should be sanitised at
the schools to send the kids back Parents should also be mindful of the regular intervals.
home immediately. Another thing food that children are consuming in 4) All dining areas should be
that the schools need to make sure order to prevent unnecessary weight supervised and children should
is that they sanitise their bathrooms gain and the diseases associated not be allowed to share their food
and someone is dedicated round the with it by planning innovative yet at any point of time and should be
clock to sanitise the bathrooms. There healthy food options and not reach physically distant.
should be enough of soap and water a level of saturation. Eye health due • Do COVID-19 symptoms differ
for children to wash their hands and to prolonged exposure to screens between children and adults?
sanitizers placed at various areas (home-schooling etc), vitamin D Most common symptoms are
around the school as well. deficiency due to prolonged duration fever, cough and cold, and diarrhoea
indoors are also some things that
need to be kept in in some cases. Majority of the
mind. Mentally and children are asymptomatic or mildly
emotionally I believe symptomatic.
that it is important • Is there a concern for high risk
that we as caregivers children? e.g. those suffering from
be available to our asthma?
children, constantly Asthma should not be too much
speak, discuss and of a concern with COVID -19. What
educate them of the should be of concern is the Toxic
current scenario (but Shock syndrome or the Kawasaki

EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2021