The emergence of omicron is particularly devastating to many who hoped the pandemic was beginning to wind down, with vaccines widely available and many schools and offices reopening. With the Delta and Omicron COVID-19 waves hitting during the third year of the pandemic, children are feeling frustrated, anxious and exhausted.

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that 140,000 children have lost a parent or grandparent caregiver to COVID-19. A majority of those children were kids of color. The study showed that, compared with white children, Native American children were 4.5 times more likely to have lost a primary caregiver. Black children were 2.4 times more likely, and Hispanic children nearly twice as likely.

National Emergency Declaration

In 2021, a national emergency was declared by a coalition of leading experts in pediatric health and a Surgeon General’s Advisory was issued to highlight the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis and the impact of the pandemic on child mental health.

Risk Factors for Girls Up 51%

Risk factors for suicide among youths remain high — especially for girls. ER visits for suspected suicide attempts for girls ages 12 to 17, were up 51% last February – March compared with the same period in 2019. For boys, suspected suicide attempt ED visits increased 3.7%. 7,000 teens in the U.S. died by suicide in 2020.

Problems with access to health care, economic struggles and the stigmas associated with mental illness and seeking support put teens at a higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicide.

Depression Among Youth

Before the pandemic, depression among youth was already increasing. From 2009 to 2019, the share of high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students. By 2018, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24.

#BeTheInfluence

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