1Professor and Head, Department of Kaumarabhritya, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal. Edarikode (P.O), Malappuram District, Kerala, India, Email id: drayurksd@gmail.com
2Project Manager, AYUSH Public Health Initiative, Department of Kaumarabhritya, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Edarikode (P.O), Malappuram District, Kerala, India, Email id: drjayakrishnan.k@gmail.com
3Assistant professor, Department of Kayachikitsa, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal Edarikode (P.O), Malappuram, District, Kerala, India, Email id: archanakeeran@gmail.com
4Professor, Department of Kaumarabhritya, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Edarikode (P.O), Malappuram District, Kerala, India, Email id: drnazimamday@gmail.com
5Resident Medical Officer, Department of Kaumarabhritya, Vaidyaratnam P S Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Edarikode (P.O), Malappuram District, Kerala, India, Email id: vksujithavk@gmail.com
Online published on 24 September, 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of human life worldwide. The Kerala state of India also took drastic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 announcing a state-wide lockdown leading to stasis in human mobility and economy. With the infection still active in the community new measures were taken to reopen the educational institutions through online media. But prolonged periods of the new educational system and home confinement affected the students both physically and psychologically.
To discuss the various psychological problems faced by school-going children during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
The study was conducted as a one-hour phone-in program at the district headquarters of Malayala Manorama, Malappuram, Kerala. It was observational in nature recording the subjective data from students or parents who voluntarily called the helpline in the given interval of time.
The expert team consisting of an Ayurveda child specialist, an Ayurveda public health expert and a media expert who systematically managed phone calls from students/parents and sufficient advice was given. Data was collected and documented using the COREQ checklist.
Means and proportions. Results: Out of the total participants (n=19), Female students of high school category (classes eight to ten) were mostly affected. The major complaints reported were anxious mood (47%), restlessness (16%), academic dysfunction (11%), eye strain (5%), depressed mood (5%) and sleeplessness (5%).
The observations can be considered as the salient markers while studying the psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdown among school-going children.
Children, COVID-19, Lockdown, Malappuram, Psychological issues
