Impacto del confinamiento domiciliario por COVID-19 en pediatría: Repercusiones sobre la ansiedad y la conducta

Abstract

Al inicio de la pandemia COVID-19 muchos gobiernos impusieron el confinamiento domiciliario. Esta situación afectó a la rutina diaria y vida cotidiana, incluidos los niños. Valorar el impacto en los niños del confinamiento domiciliario, objetivando si hubo ansiedad, alteraciones somáticas o cambios conductuales. Se desarrolló un estudio observacional transversal en 2292 niños españoles utilizando un cuestionario anónimo web mediante dos escalas: menores de siete años, los progenitores respondieron un cuestionario diseñado por los investigadores; y niños con siete o más años respondieron la Escala de Ansiedad Manifiesta Infantil Revisada. Los niños con siete o más años, obtuvieron puntuaciones elevadas en el espectro de ansiedad, más los varones. Se encontraron valores significativamente altos en todos los aspectos de la ansiedad en niños que temían la infección o inestabilidad laboral familiar. Progenitores de menores de siete años manifestaron que el 56,3% de estos presentaban cuatro o más síntomas relacionados con la ansiedad, siendo los más frecuentes Rabietas, Cambios emocionales, Inquietud y Miedo a estar solo, este último con significación estadística. El número de síntomas fue significativo cuando alguien en el hogar padeció COVID-19. La pandemia COVID-19 y el confinamiento domiciliario causaron ansiedad, problemas conductuales y manifestaciones somáticas en la población pediátrica.

Background: To limit the spread in the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, governments have imposed nationwide lockdowns to prevent direct contact; this has affected everyday lives and daily routine. Such isolation may have impacted children’s anxiety levels. Objective: We aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 related home confinement on the paediatric population by focusing on anxiety, behavioural disturbances and somatic symptoms. Design and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study using a web-based anonymous questionnaire enabled from 22 to 26 April, 2020, among 2292 children in Spain. For children below seven years of age, parents reported the children’s behavioural, emotional and somatic symptoms and family environment data on ad hoc questionnaire designed by the researchers. Children with seven years and over answered the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale either independently or with their parents’ assistance. Results: Children with seven years and over, boys in particular, scored high on the anxiety spectrum. Moreover, participants who someone in their home had suffered from COVID-19 or whose parent was directly involved in the pandemic, obtained higher Total Anxiety scores. Significantly high values were found in all aspects of anxiety among those who feared infection or parents’ labour stability. Of the children below seven years, 56.3% had four or more anxiety related symptoms, the most frequent of which were Tantrums, Emotional changes, Restlessness and Fear of being alone. The number of symptoms reported was significant when someone in the family home had been infected with COVID-19. In relation to the questions posed to parents we found that Fear of being alone was a symptom with common statistical significance in four of the five questions. Conclusions: The COVID-19 home confinement had a significant impact on children, causing anxiety, behavioural problems and somatic manifestations.