The COVID-19 pandemic has kept most children indoors for the past 18 months. With schools closed and little or no outdoor activity, pediatricians are seeing a worrying trend of children reporting symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, an increase in obesity, and lack of social skills.
“We are seeing older children with severe vitamin D deficiency. We recently observed some adolescent girls with pain in the limbs and recently-onset gait disturbances, which were a matter of concern for the parents. To our surprise, we found that vitamin D levels were extremely low. The children are at home for the last one to one and a half years. Hence, they do not have exposure to sunlight,” said Janani Shankar, senior consultant at Kanchi Kamakoti Children’s Trust Hospital.
Generally, vitamin D deficiency is uncommon in older children, he said, adding, “Children will have severe limb pain, difficulty climbing stairs, sitting and bone deformities. Children need more exposure to sunlight.” They should go outside and play in open areas.Although 11am to 2pm is the best time for the production of Vitamin D in the skin, but they can go out any time to be exposed to the sun. Father being too paranoid about sending them out won’t help.”
lack of activity
Obesity in children was another side effect of the epidemic.
“We are seeing a lot of kids with an average weight of 10 kg. The reason for this is that children do not go outside and play. His daily routine has been affected due to his lockdown lifestyle. Children wake up at 9 am or 10 am and do not empty their bowels. This habitually leads to constipation and retains urine in the bladder, making them prone to urinary infections,” she said.
Rema Chandramohan, Professor of Pediatrics at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, said that as far as physical health of the children is concerned, they were found to have lower respiratory infections as there was no match with their age group. “Respiratory infections have decreased significantly but obesity has become a problem due to reduced activity,” she said.
The increase in screen time has uncovered eye problems, such as amblyopia, which she said, “are suppressed and manageable and that is why we are suggesting eye exams for children. We look for foreign bodies.” We are also seeing an increase in the number of ingestions as the children are at home.”
Another worrying effect is the lack of social skills, Dr Janani Shankar pointed out.
As Dr. Rema Chandramohan said, several social factors were at play, with the loss of family income due to the lockdown being one. “Kids need to play, and in the absence of this kind of exposure, they can throw temper tantrums. How long can you keep a child inside?” he said.
Psychiatrists report that there has been a definite increase in the addiction of gadgets in children. Staying at home affected children’s interpersonal skills and communication.
While doctors welcomed the state government’s move to reopen schools for students from November, they stressed the need for proper handling of COVID-19, including wearing masks, maintaining physical distance and washing hands, as well as dengue In the light of precautionary measures are included.
.