Mental health challenges linked to the COVID-19 pandemic in children and teens can be supported with flower essences.
According to a study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine PMC (PubMed Central), where multiple scientific communities found that the lasting effects of the pandemic made mental health struggles worse in children and teens.
According to the study, the current COVID-19 pandemic, beyond affecting the economy and social settings, left children and teens as the most vulnerable group: those with prior emotional-disorder diagnoses worsened during isolation periods.
Among the main factors that shifted these diagnoses were family instability, mistreatment at home, longer isolation, and each child’s own traits — temperament, resilience, school meals, social interaction, and education.
The most common diagnoses identified in the publication are the following:
Hyperactivity or ADHD:
Better known as hyperactivity disorder, an issue that affects most children, with trouble focusing and impulsive acts.
The PCM noted that the best way to support this diagnosis is to find strategies that let the child release restless impulses through physical activity, or else reinforce parental presence to encourage steady support.
Autism spectrum disorder
Classified as a developmental condition in the brain that affects the person with a range of symptoms that can harm health; the autism spectrum touches different motor and mental abilities.
Psychiatry expert Antonio Narzisi of the Department of Child Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology at the Stella Maris Foundation, University of Pisa (Italy), shared the following tips to support autism spectrum disorder.
- Break daily activities into smaller parts
- Schedule play activities
- Put puzzles together
- Give each activity its own space
- Do family or solo activities
- Share video games or internet time
- Share special interests
- See a specialist when needed
The PMC study shows that teens on the autism spectrum (ASD) often live with serious anxiety, and an event like isolation can worsen their condition, so the tips above are worth keeping in mind.
Anxiety
Better known as anxiety disorder and common in childhood, it shows big shifts during isolation periods — more time with caregivers can create episodes of dependence, and, according to the PMC publication, going back to school is a challenge for most parents.
For that reason, psychiatrist Nicola Keyhan shares five tips parents can use with children diagnosed with anxiety to ease side effects during the pandemic.
- Reduce risk factors that may trigger fear in the child.
- Ask what they know and what questions they have about the pandemic.
- Give clear information that fits their age.
- Explore and validate the emotions the child is showing
- Use strategies that help ease anxiety, such as physical activity and mind-development activities
Post-traumatic stress disorder
As the name suggests, this stress follows a traumatic event, with rates 4 times higher in children under quarantine — children exposed to family fights, child mistreatment, and sexual abuse were more likely to develop this kind of stress.
Flower essence options that can support these conditions:
Flower essence for ADHD
Another option in this case is complementary therapy with flower essences — here we find the flower essence of Zafiro, an essence that supports calm and mental clarity, and also helps with detox when there is medication in the treatment of ADHD.
Flower essences for autism
In autism we find three flower essences that can support cases where communication and social settings feel harder.
Clavel de indias
It helps communication and listening — our own inner world and that of others. For children who withdraw, who have learning delays or learning challenges. It is also used in autism. It supports immune resistance and improves attention and understanding.
Violeta pensamiento
It helps move through shyness and makes talking with others easier. It is useful in supporting autism. It strengthens the immune system and helps with recovery from viral infections.
Red Lily
For ethereal people who daydream, stay absent and distracted, and are prone to accidents — what people often call living “in the clouds.”
The flower essence balances spiritual and earthly sides, allowing grounding and focus alongside spiritual growth. It is useful in cases of autism and helps counter the effects of LSD-type drugs or mushrooms.
Flower essences for anxiety
Flower essence for anxiety
This is a flower essence built around the flower essence of heliantemo, for cases where life’s problems tied to anxiety seem to have no way out — working the same way in children and teens.
Flower essences for stress
Siustrés
It is a flower essence for all ages that helps make stress in children and young people a friendly mechanism — one that lets them enjoy each condition of life instead of falling into exaggerated tension, fatigue, and exhaustion.
Recommendations
The flower essences mentioned here are for complementary support alongside the conditions related above, and they do not replace the medicines or treatments described by specialists.
Flower essences are a natural product, have no side effects, and can be given to children and teens freely.
Finally, it is important to remember that the COVID-19 pandemic is something we will live with for a long time, and isolation may be temporary, lasting, or momentary — caring for ourselves and for our children is each caregiver’s responsibility.
Remember that children soak up everything they learn, and if we have children with serious emotional challenges, we need to stay even closer to them — their health, their education, and how we treat them at home.
Care for your children and teens #SiuNosImportasTú
