The impact of 100 days of Covid-19 lock-down on the emotional health of school children in Chennai, India

Introduction: Public health measures taken to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic can potentially impact the mental health of children.Aims: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of childhood depression during the Covid-19 lock-down.Methods: After 100 days of lock-down, a survey questionnaire was sent by WhatsApp to parents of school-aged children (5-16 years) in Chennai. The Short Mood and Feelings questionnaire was employed as an objective screening tool to assess depression, with a score of 12 used as the cut-off.Results: There were 874 responses. The incidence of childhood depression was 13.7%. Boys were less likely to be depressed than girls. Eleven- to 16-year-olds were more likely to be depressed than 5- to 10-year-old children. Children who had more than 4 hours online education had a higher likelihood of depression. Children who used a cell phone for online classes had a higher likelihood of depression compared to other devices, such as tabs or laptops. Children who slept less than 8 hours a day had a higher likelihood of depression. Children who either did not sleep in the afternoon or slept less than 1 hour had a lower likelihood of depression. Children who were interacting with family over 1 hour per day had a lower likelihood of depression.Conclusions: Overzealous online education, lack of adequate sleep and failure to spend quality time with the family can negatively impact the mental health of children. The impact of Covid-19 on the emotional health of children should be addressed by public policy makers and health care professionals.