Anxiety in children and adolescents during confinement in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction: During the confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in psychopathological disorders was reported in adults and children; however, there is no integration of the manifestations and causes of
anxiety in children and adolescents.

Objective: To identify the main causes, signs, and symptoms related to the development of anxiety in children and adolescents during confinement in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: A narrative review was carried out based on scientific literature on the development of anxiety in children and adolescents in confinement by COVID-19; it was obtained from the PubMed and Web of Science databases. The terms “Anxiety”, “Child”, “Adolescent”, “COVID-19”, Anxiety, Child Behavior, Adolescent, Mental Disorders were used with the support of the Boolean operators AND and OR. Results: The initial search yielded a total of 141 references, 38 of which were used to extract information.

The prevalence of anxiety related to confinement reported in the studies
ranged from 32% to 45%. Irritability, perceived inattention, lack of sleep
and appetite, and hyperactivity were the main symptoms of anxiety. Fear of illness, increased use of technological equipment, and social networks, isolation due to school closures, and false information were mainly associated with anxiety.

 Conclusions: confinement during the pandemic produced a significant alteration in mental health with an increase in the prevalence of anxiety in children and adolescents. There are various causes that cause it and several signs and symptoms with which it can occur.