Prepared by Jenn Hood:  Richwoods School Social Worker

Downloadable and Printable visuals direct link SEL Visuals 

What happens to mental health and emotional wellbeing during quarantine...

According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in.

People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:

• Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for COVID-19

• Children and teens

• People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders

• People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use

What to watch out for:
Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them.  When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children.  Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.

Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way.  Some common changes to watch for include:

• Excessive crying or irritation in younger children

• Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)

• Excessive worry or sadness

• Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits

• Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens

• Poor school performance or avoiding school

• Difficulty with attention and concentration

• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past

• Unexplained headaches or body pain

• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

Talking with kids about COVID 19
When you talk to your child or teen, it’s important to use words, phrases, and examples that are developmentally appropriate. Here are tips for helping preschool kids, school-age kids, and teens and young adults.

Preschool Kids (Ages 2- 6):
Preschool kids are more in tune to and affected by parental emotions than older kids. For them, especially, be sure to stay calm around them. In addition:

• Turn off the TV, computers, smart speakers when they are around. They will hear things or see images that are potentially scary.

• Be careful in talking about the situation with other adults or older siblings around them.

• Younger kids may need a bit more TLC and cuddles than older kids. If you’re concerned about transmitting illness, then sitting close, or perhaps sleeping in the same room is comforting.

• Make preventive measures such as washing hands or wiping surfaces a playful game.

School-age Children (Ages 7-12):

• Kids in first to sixth grade can understand more about a contagious disease. Explain that the germs causing COVID-19 are like ones that cause a cold. Remind them that these illnesses can spread easily, but that they can also be prevented, which is why we need to wash our hands, use tissues, and use alcohol wipes.

• Kids this age thrive on routine. Try to keep to daily schedules as typical as always, even if you are quarantined at home. Explain that the reason you stocked up on a month’s supply of food and are not going to school or work is to help your community by not spreading the disease to others.

• Younger school-age kids cope with their fears through play. They may play doctor or use a Lego set to create a hospital helping people. This is a normal way for them to manage their anxieties including repeating their games over and over.

• Some school-age kids will become more clingy than usual and demanding. Such “regression” is a way of expressing fear. This is not the time to simply tell them to “grow up,” even if the behavior is frustrating. They may need more time with you – reading to them, watching a TV show together, drawing, or playing.

• Turn off the TV other digital media as much as possible. School-age kids may not understand everything they hear and see on the screen. For example, if there are

  reports of outbreaks or deaths on the other side of the country, they may not know how far this is or that germs cannot spread to their house from distant places.

Adolescents and Young Adults (Ages 13 – 18+):

• Teens and young adults have likely heard a lot about COVID-19 and its potential danger. They are old enough to understand how it spreads, preventative measures, and future risks. Have open conversations, beginning with open-ended questions about what they know, what they are worried about, and how they are feeling.

• Kids this age are mature enough to watch the news with you or go online and explore trusted sites to learn more about the disease. Sit with them while viewing and have conversations about what they see and read, and how the illness may impact their lives.

• Teens and young adults may be help you shop for supplies, play with younger siblings, prepare meals, and do other tasks to prepare for possible quarantine. Including them in the effort to protect the family helps them feel valued, and this empowerment lessens anxiety.

• No one knows at this point how serious the impact of COVID-19 will be. Living with uncertainty is not easy. However, we can help each other become more resilient, emotionally stable, and as physically protected as possible through a carefully planned means of engaging with our kids in this time of crisis.

What can I do to help my child, family member or myself?

• Make sure your meeting basic needs. Eating, hydration, sleeping regularly so you can care for yourself and others

• Set up a daily schedule for the family to follow. This can bring some normalcy back to life to have a routine. Have set wake up times, bedtimes, built in breaks, and plan what you need to try to get done ahead of time.

• Know it is always okay if the plan you make does not go exactly, life is unpredictable so we cannot plan for everything. It is about reaching the goal/result not following a plan to the letter.

• Limit the media (social media, local or national news) you and your family spend getting information on COVID19.

• Make sure you are getting the information you are taking in from reputable sources such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov, your local healthcare providers

• If you need help reach out.

1. Recognize that anxiety is completely normal

   • Anxiety is a normal and healthy function that alerts us to threats and helps us take measures to protect ourselves. Anxiety helps you make the decisions you need to be making right now – not spending time with other people or in large groups, washing your hands and not touching your face. Those feeling are helping keep you and other safe. In this situation it allows us to take care of members of the community and ourselves.
     

2. Create Distractions and utilize coping skills.

   • Divide problems in two categories: Things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about (it is out of my hands). Things you can do include doing homework, watching a favorite movie, and reading a book.
     

3. Find new ways to connect with friends and family

   • Utilizing social media and apps such as Skype, facetime, Tik-Tok, Instagram can become a good way to cope. Joining a challenge on there can become a fun past time for all members of the household.

   • A disclaimer would be that it is not a good idea to have constant access to screens and social media because it can be a constant reminder and stressor with incorrect information. Limit the time you are on screens.

   • Have dedicated family quality time where you check in with each other, participate in a fun activity – cooking/baking, playing board games, arts and crafts, a family walk, playing outside with those living in the house.
     

4. Focus on You

   • Self-care is taking care of yourself and mental wellbeing. You can start learning a new skill, start a new book, practicing a musical instrument or dance.
     

5. Allow yourself to feel your feelings

   • Missing out on events, time with friends, hobbies, school activities and sports is incredibly disappointing. These are large scale losses and are very upsetting. A good way to deal with disappointment is to allow yourself to feel it, be sad and know it is okay to be sad about these things. Use a coping skill to help you through the strong feelings.
     

6. Be kind to yourself and others

   • Some people are facing bullying and abuse because of this virus. If that is happening to you reach out to friends or adults for help and support. If you see (especially on social media) someone being bullied, reach out to them and try to offer support if you can. This does not mean retaliating or bullying on the other person involved.

   • You can leave send some kind words to friend and family through text, posting on social media, and calling.

Coping skills to try:

• Take a break

• Taking deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth *pretend you are blowing out a candle that is across the room)

• Getting a drink of water

• Exercise

• Plan a vacation in your head

• Think of your favorite person or place

• Draw, paint some type of art

• Stretch tight muscles

• Listen to music

• Go for a walk outside if you are safe to do so

• Reading a book

• Talk about what is going on with a trusted person

• Have a personal Dance party

• Sing a favorite song

See other visuals

Self-harm and Suicidal thoughts
If your child is having self-harming behaviors or suicidal thoughts, please contact the following crisis lines.

• Peoria County Emergency Response Service – 309-671-8084

• Tazewell, Woodruff County Crisis and Referrals – 309-347-1148

• Unity Point Crisis - (309) 671-8084 – Any age

• Children’s Home Crisis (children only) - 309-687-8600

• Emergency Responders – Call 911

• National Suicide prevention lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

• Espanol 1-888-628-9454

• Deaf and Hard of hearing – 1-800-799-4889

Mental Health/Abuse/Neglect

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746.

• People with deafness or hearing loss can use their preferred relay service to call 1-800-985-5990.

• UnityPoint Health - UnityPlace provides resources and treatment for those in need of emergency response services relating to mental health and addiction disorders. UnityPlace can be reached by phone at 309-681-8084

• Domestic violence hotline at 1-877-863-6338

• Department of children, family and services - 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873 or TTY 1-800-358-5117

Community – food, shelter, rent/utility assistance

• Heart of Illinois 2-1-1 - Access to information or assistance with food, shelter, clothing, rental/utility assistance, physical or mental health services, transportation assistance, meal delivery, assistance meeting any other basic needs due to COVID-19. Call 211 or 309-299-4029 or visit www.211hoi.org

• Crittenton Centers Baby Supply Donations - Offers baby supplies (diapers, wipes and baby formula) Service is available for anyone with an eligible child. Bring your photo ID, copy of your child(ren)’s birth certificate or medical card to Crittenton Centers at 442 W. John Gwynn Jr., Peoria, IL, 61605. Pull up to the side door of the building and ring the buzzer. Questions contact 309-674-0105

Housing/Rent Assistance

• Peoria Cares - The city of Peoria’s Community Development Department aims to promote safe and affordable housing for tenants and homeowners by fighting blight in our neighborhoods. Residents encountering health, life, and safety issues in their rental units are encouraged to report issues to Peoria Cares at (309) 494-2273 or online at www.peoriagov.org/peoria-cares .

• Heart of Illinois 2-1-1 - For more information on rental assistance, utility payment assistance, and other services offered in our community, please contact 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or (309) 999-4029 on any phone or visiting www.211hoi.org .

Medical Help

• UnityPoint - For persons needing medical care for non-emergent health concerns, not related to COVID-19 UnityPoint is temporarily offering free access to their virtual clinic. If you or someone you know needs non-emergent health care, they can follow the Link below for information on how to access the virtual clinic. https://www.unitypoint.org/clinics/virtual-care.aspx.

• Heart of Illinois 2-1-1 - For those in need of medical care who may not currently have a primary care physician or health insurance: please contact Heart of Illinois 2-1-1 for assistance. HOI 2-1-1 can also provide resources to help with rental or utilities assistance, childcare, transportation, and more. They can be reached by calling 2-1-1 or (309) 999-4029