(COVID-19) has affected life of millions worldwide, but data on how it is affecting children is still evolving. Although clinical part following COVID19 infection of any child is taking care by all health care systems similar to adults and many recent studies reported that children (upto 18 years) are making 1-5 % cases of total infected cases and out of them 25% have pre-existing chronic medical illness and 8 % require intensive care admission. (1) (2) (3) The case fatality rate reported as 0.69 % of infected children. 3 Common risk for serious clinical illness reported are younger age group, underlying chronic medical condition and male sex. 3 In children the clinical presentation of COVID19 infection have varied presentation from asymptomatic spreader to very severe life threatening diseases like acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome and multisystem inflammatory Syndrome in children(MIS-C). (2) (3) (4) (5) .
However, we need to be more concerned about possible implications of indirect and parallel psychosocial and mental health damage due to closure of schools, being in confinement and lack of peer interaction due to COVID19. (6) Due to emergency pandemic measures more than 50% of student population are unable to attend their schools and colleges. (7) (8) Xie et al and other reviewed the long term adverse effects of home confinement following school closure. (9) They highlighted various adverse effects on child's physical and mental wellbeing like excessive use of electronic gadgets, disturbed sleep pattern, unhealthy diets resulting obesity, and poor stamina. Data on quarantine and other measures of isolation for children during earlier various disasters have supported increased risk of long term post-traumatic stress disorder. (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) . Sprang and Silman in their study reported mean post-traumatic stress scores were four times higher in children who had been quarantined than in those who were not quarantined (19) .
Elementary School teachers from 16 schools post a major earthquake in Central Java, Indonesia in 2006 identified concerns in children even two years post the event. They reported behavioral problems, with negative school-based behaviors (e.g. lack of academic motivation) reported as the most common symptom. They also identified posttraumatic stress as being a common finding. (20) Stressors such as quarantined for prolonged duration, fears of infection, loss of routine, frustration and boredom, inadequate information, lack of in-person contact with classmates, friends, and teachers, lack of personal space at home, and family financial loss can have even more problematic and enduring effects on children and adolescents. (9, 10, (21) (22) (23) Children respond to stress in different ways most common of which include having difficulties in sleeping, bedwetting, stomach-aches and headaches, and being anxious, withdrawn, angry, clingy, or afraid to be left alone. (24) (25) (26) Studies have also shown depressive & anxiety symptoms in children who were confined in the Wuhan province. ( 
It's important to note here, that the most crucial supporting system, the microsystem, is intact for most children in times of this crisis which make it different from previous disasters and the effect this can have on development is a subject for research and early data can give us a plan to move ahead and act fast. (30) (31) (32) Microsystem-Children & adults living in a joint family may have an advantage over those who are restricted to a nuclear family which provides lesser opportunities for them to interact.
Confinement to home can also expose them to maltreatment and abuse in conflict-ridden families, the lockdown has also increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and exposed more women to intimate partner violence, which can traumatize the child . (21, 33, (36) (37) (38) There has been an increased risk of teenage pregnancy and child marriage for girls post pandemic as seen post previous disasters. (21, (39) (40) (41) (42) (43) (44) (45) For many children school environment provides an escape and a better environment for growth. Children of health care workers and other front-line workers spend prolonged periods uncared for, away from parents, which can lead to negative impact. These parents may behave harshly with their kids due to prolong COVID19 duty hours related mental stress and other mental health issues. (25, 36, (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (55) (56) (57) These negative effects can be minimized by having balanced parenting, with both parents at home, sharing & caring during such crisis. A positive finding was reported by a study done in South Korea, they reported there was no change in the quality of relationships with spouses and children, approximately 20% of the sample reported a positive change in relationships with spouses and children indicating that there is hope to use the additional time amidst the lock down to strengthen the bond among family members. (11, 32, 57) Social domain (Meso-System) -SARS-CoV-2 acts as an antisocial element as it has forced the family to shut itself indoors, instilling fear in the children and keeping their inborn yearning for human touch and affection from dear ones at bay. (25,58) Socialization, an important protective factor for emotional wellbeing, is being weakened when social distancing is propagated as the new norm. There is a need to emphasize physical distancing instead of social distancing to avoid emotional distancing and ensure learning social skills is not hampered. (11, 29, (59) (60) (61) (62) (63) (64) (65) (66) (67) (68) Those children who were tested positive and admitted in hospital responded better when they were allowed to interact with parents, caregivers through video calls. (57) Cognitive/Emotional domain-Emotional development of any child depends upon the overall environment of the family, school, and society. Family members at home watching COVID19-related news leads to discussions creating excessive negativism and fear making them emotionally vulnerable and mental health issues. (25, 31, 36, 46, 58) Uncertainty about the reopening of school and normalization of life makes their mental agony worse. A child infected by SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized or quarantined for a long time, with or without their family member, is affected adversely if it isn't taken care of appropriately by healthcare professionals. ( 11, 57, (64) (65) (66) For some children, where the adults teach them self-help skills and spend quality time with them, it results in boosting their cognitive development.
Due to lockdown, children start living in the virtual world which may lead to addiction in the worst scenario. The positive effects of using gadgets in some can lead to improved motor skills & cognitive skills aiding in keeping them occupied (a respite for parents), gamified learning, building competitive skills, and entertainment. (69) Watching age-appropriate, high quality programming may promote certain cognitive benefits. "Co-viewing" (i.e. engaging in screen time with a parent or caregiver) can enhance infant attention and their propensity to learn from on-screen content. (70) However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the large negative impact it has, like speech & language delay, refractive errors, attention deficits, loss of interest in traditional teaching, academics, and social interaction. It can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, poor moral development, exposure to inappropriate content, and mental health issues. (71) Children may also be exposed to disinformation about COVID-19 that can spread virally and can cause them increased anxiety and fear, as children can have different interpretations of what makes a news outlet credible and reliable. (58, 72, 73) The sexual exploitation has seen an exponential increase. (25, 58, (74) (75) (76) It's advisable to set up parental supervision and a specific time for users to make optimal use of technology. (71) It is better to serve as a good model for children by staying without gadgets and showing their limited use for necessary things. Nutrition and Food -Many poor children get part of their food and nutrition through midday meals at schools and from Anganwadi centres. More than 35 crore school students have deprived of basic supply of food through schools due to complete lockdown in various countries. (6, 36, 46, 79, 80) Pandemic-related restriction leads to the loss of their parent's livelihood. (62, (82) (83) (84) (85) Thus, their minimum basic needs are unfulfilled, worsening their nutritional status.
India already suffers from malnutrition making children more prone to infection like tuberculosis, measles, and COVID19 itself, leading to increased preventable mortality and morbidity. (58, (79) (80) (81) Vaccination and other health problems -Hunger, malnutrition, pneumonia and other health-related shocks and stresses compound vulnerability to the virus and contribute to a vicious cycle of disease, destitution and death. (58, 81, (86) (87) (88) Near-complete diversion of the public health care system and complete/partial closure of private health facilities, (86, 88, 89) leads to ignoring routine immunization and chronic ailment care for children paving way for increased risk & suffering due to common health problems and chronic health ailments leading to overall increased morbidity and mortality of children. (58, (86) (87) (88) (89) (90) (91) (92) (93) It's even more challenging for developing countries having compromised public health systems, making it unfavourable for paediatricians. Restriction of school and public gatherings prevent children from acquiring natural immunity against common childhood infections leaving them vulnerable to more severe illness, complications and even death in adulthood. (90, 94) The government must consult concerned authorities to provide sufficient nutrition & necessary vaccinations as it may become a bigger problem after the pandemic. (88, 90, 93) The pandemic will leave behind increased awareness about precautionary hygiene such as handwashing in children helping them in the long-run.
various governments forced more than 1.5 billion children to stay at home. (8, 82, 95) India declared complete lockdown with indefinite closure of all education on 16 March. Children lose the opportunity to learn new things from their peers and teachers at school. Though the compensatory online education platforms have been initiated in some government schools as well, a large majority of children from disadvantageous backgrounds are excluded further widening the gap in academic achievement. (8, 58, (82) (83) (84) 94, 95) Though its benefit can't be denied, online teaching lacks the warmth of interactive teaching making it especially difficult for children below grade III who need excessive stimulation. Also undeniable, is the anxiety the board and competitive examination-takers are in due to prolonged uncertainty. The centre has allowed for states to decide re-opening of schools post October in some states & post November 17 th for 9th & 10th grade in some states but the outcome this will generate is uncertain as was reported in Israel, when schools reopened in June it became highest place for infection. Other countries like Germany, Norway have adopted a 'cohort model' which has been quite hopeful, in which students arrive at different times limiting interaction. (96) (97) (98) (99) (100) Macrosystem -Due to the financial crisis resulting from the pandemic, livelihoods have been lost, emergency savings consumed and loans borrowed to meet basic requirements leading to an excessive financial burden on earning family member. Growing up in poorer neighbourhoods increases the risk of catching the virus and be a carrier, experience underlying health issues and reduced coverage of vaccination among children. It also affects access to a range of necessities such as good nutrition, quality housing, sanitation issues, space to play or study, and opportunities to engage in on-line schooling. (76, (82) (83) (84) A higher level of poverty following any crisis significantly increases the risk of child marriage and teenage pregnancies especially in low income countries. (33,101,102) There may be an increase in child trafficking and pornography. (58, 74) The total effect of the COVID-19
pandemic is projected to result in 13 million additional child marriages. (37, 40, 41, 43, 44, (103) (104) (105) Prior studies suggest that experiencing mass disasters and economic recession are associated with increased risk for mental health disorders. (106) The trend of increased domestic abuse, intimate partner violence is particularly worrisome in this context. Domestic violence services and children's helplines report increased levels of risk for vulnerable children and families. (,34,35) Children observe the behaviour of modelsindividuals observed in society, parents, TV characters, peers, teachers etc. and imitate or model the people they perceive as similar to themselves in terms of behaviours, values, beliefs & attitudes. Children pay close attention to the models around and encode their behaviour, at a later time they may replicate it. (78) Reinforcement or punishment that follows decides on the continuity of the behaviour. Parents worried about handling their children's anxiety could play good role models for them to observe and process how the stress of lockdown and a family member being diagnosed is dealt with positively. Being optimistic and less worried was found to be one of the protective factors, from increased risk of depressive symptoms in students studied in Wuhan. (9) It would be burdensome and unrealistic to expect parents to be at their best behaviour in a crisis like this but parents must become aware of active-passive ways they influence the child around them. We stress it's important to learn to manage one's anxiety first & seek help when it's difficult.
For those who may require some type of intervention, understanding risk factors can inform screening and tailoring of programs. (107, 108) In a systematic review it was discussed that the risk factors that appear strongest are severe exposure to the event (especially injury, threat to life, and extreme loss), living in a highly disrupted or traumatized community, little previous experience relevant to coping with the disaster, ethnic minority, poverty or low socioeconomic status, the presence of children in the home, psychiatric history, secondary stress, weak or deteriorating psychosocial resources, avoidance coping, and assignment of blame. Witnessing domestic violence, overcrowding, parental unemployment, exposure of substance misuse , influences of peers and school, degree of loss, being evacuated or displaced, separation from a primary caregiver, extent of post disaster stresses and adversities, frequency of exposure to trauma and loss reminders, and on-going exposure to media coverage. (108) (109) (110) (111) (112) (113) (114) For children with higher needs, disruption to schooling and respite care placements have the potential to push some families into crisis. The presence of a sibling with a disability in the home will compromise parents' abilities to meet the new demands of home schooling for other children and to manage family stress. Many families lack guidance and information about available services and the types of assistance they are eligible for which is particularly problematic in a period of widespread confinement like homeless children, refugees, children in single-parent families. (38, 110, 111, (115) (116) (117) Children of migrant workers, students due for board examinations.
Although Chinese Health Commission issued some instructions about how to decrease psychological morbidities in children kept under quarantined, but these can't fulfil the need of current scenario. We need more integrated planning (Figure -2) to deal with this crisis.
When caring for children & adolescent's mental health in the aftermath of emergencies and disasters, it is important to appreciate the uniqueness of each event as the actions taken to identify and support affected children may vary based on the context. (118) In their review Watson et al, (119) discuss certain principles to keep in mind while preparing for managing the aftermath. (a) promoting a sense of safety, (b) promoting calming, (c) promoting a sense of self-efficacy and community efficacy, (d) promoting connectedness, and (e) instilling hope. (120, 121) The aim of screening is to identify the most vulnerable children in the community, namely those at greatest risk of developing psychopathology. Most children exposed to traumatic events develop fleeting psychological responses, these are normal and are not psychiatric disorders, and children may worry about it. Hence in an initial phase of watchful waiting is recommended rather than immediate clinical involvement. Intervention to work at different levels.
There is a growing consensus that Psychological First Aid (PFA) a set of actions (contact and engagement with survivors, promoting safety and comfort, information-gathering on needs and concerns of survivors, practical assistance, information on normative psychological responses to traumatic experiences and on coping strategies, linking with available support), is the most appropriate first level intervention for children, adults, and families exhibiting distress or decrements in functioning in the acute aftermath of disasters and mass violence. It is delivered by trained non-health professionals to provide assistance to affected populations within days/ weeks after the event with the aim of reducing the initial distress and fostering adaptive functioning and coping. (120 -125) Second focus on the prevention of psychopathology in trauma-exposed children who have developed some psychiatric symptoms, through early detection and appropriate screening measures. (126) Third level involves treatment of psychopathology; For example, treatment of children with PTSD with trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy delivered by clinicians within 2-6 months after trauma reduced the likelihood of PTSD at follow-up, was found to be costeffective. Cognitive-behavioural approaches for use among children and adolescents have received the most empirical support in improving child traumatic grief, PTSD, depression, and anxiety, suggesting that this intervention is acceptable and efficacious for this population. (127) (128) (129) (130) (131) (132) Generally, after the aftermath of an event the intervention focus on short term needs but the mental health needs of children and families involved can be enduring and hence the plan should focus on long term needs. (131, 132) The evidence also highlights the need to work in multiple systems may include capacity building by providing family-based, trauma-informed trainings for current mental health trainees who will be joining the workforce, and also for school based personnel, who serve as the primary point of service for mental health care for many children in the United States. (131, 132) Studies have shown classroom-based psychosocial intervention show improvement in PTSD symptoms compared with controls and need for intervention to be catered in school to be effective. (134 -137) Similarly, provision of mental health services through primary care settings may also be considered. (137) There is a need for designing interventions on the basis of need and available local resources; Staying updated on the evidence base regarding effective practices. Planning intermediate interventions that can be implemented by paraprofessionals focussing on problem solving skills, positive activity scheduling, managing reactions, promoting helpful thinking, and rebuilding healthy social connections, (124,125,126.139) this Psychological recovery programme was implemented and favourably received for its feasibility in countries like USA & Australia. (140) Research on service utilization indicates that the majority of individuals exposed to a terrorist attack or other disasters do not seek mental health care or use available services. Hence it is important that mental health professionals reach out to other service providers, including spiritual providers, school personnel first responders, public health and health professionals, and volunteers. (107, (141) (142) (143) (144) In this view we propose an integrated model to work with (Figure -2) . Keeping the prior suggestions, we listed few recommendations for Parents, school authorities, Paediatricians, Mental health professionals and for Governmental agency. (11,61,119,124,143,145 -150) 
Parents (11,60,119,148,150) Mitigating mental health problems and cushioning the social impacts of confinement for children and adolescents. Many countries and international organizations are taking steps to safeguard the mental wellbeing of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak, for example by issuing basic guidance for parents and carers on how to talk about the outbreak with their children in an age-appropriate way which lowers anxiety. (15,145 -150,152) Most guidance focuses on supporting children when they show stress or distress, to find positive ways to express their feelings, such as through playing or drawing, guidance on maintaining familiar routines, ways to maintain contact between children and carers if they are separated, and maintaining social contact with peers.
Providing assurance realistically, explaining the nature of the pandemic, assuring that its impermanence, discussing post-pandemic holiday plans/goals for later to instil hope in the child.
• Engaging the child in recreational and physical activities, simple meditations;
teaching them minor chores to feel more empowered; Leaving no room for helplessness or boredom.
• Collaborating with teachers to keep them engaged academically and prevent losing touch and also motivation in the long run.
• Adapting useful parenting strategies from friends/relatives School authorities & Teachers can play a major role in helping children deal with the trauma as discussed. It has been well documented that services for children need to take place in schools . Teachers can serve as an effective first-line resource for assessing the psychological state of children exposed to natural disasters. (20) • The school authorities need to revamp their mode of teaching, their curriculum to meet the needs of the current scenario.
• The first responsibility would be taking care of the needs of the teachers, help them cope with their anxieties, reassuring them of their employment status, providing them required remuneration. As they serve as the bridge, in connecting students to school.
• Having full-time psychologists in the school to manage the upheaval, schools have to deal with once it reopens.
• It's a must for every school to train their teachers in identifying children who may be suffering from depression, anxiety.
• Equipping them with simple psychological techniques to deal with children, to ease their anxiety comfortably, like simple counselling techniques, relaxation exercises, art therapy, mindfulness training. Turning a blind eye towards it can have far-fetching ugly implications.
• Extra training for teachers who can act as gate-keepers for the warning signs
• Special interest in children who have special needs, increasing assistance to cover the widened gap
• Looking at the high-risk vulnerable group more closely as discussed above.
• Having a continuous liaison with parents & health authorities.
The importance of making mental health mandatory as part of the curriculum for children at all levels cannot be more stressed as not only it's the need of the hour but will aid in making resilient adults for the future.
• Need to talk with parents about how they are managing things during this crisis specifically parents of disadvantageous groups, students admitted under the right to education (RTE).
Paediatrician (15, 140, 141, 143, 145) Previous evidence highlights, psychologists need to work with multidisciplinary teams, lead it in providing training and consultation. By expanding their role beyond providing direct care, psychologists can expand access to care for those survivors who do not typically seek or receive mental health services. There is need to train other health specialists. (146 -148) • Any child with a health concern first comes in contact with a paediatrician, it's important to have an SOP for every health centre on how to comprehensively manage the post-pandemic cyclone of psychological concerns. Although most children may not suffer deleterious psychological outcomes because of a temporary loss of access to these opportunities, the impact of prolonged uncertainty and lack of socialization, skill-based learning, social support, and reduced physical activity may increase children's emotional distress and parenting challenges. There is a need to develop adequate methods for early identification of those at risk for long term problems. (119) As the target is to provide services to those who need it more, it's become imperative to refine our screening for the early identification of those at risk for long-term problems, has been initiated by various organisations at different levels; however its effectiveness needs to be evaluated. Need to take action by adopting the best practices already adopted by several governments to ensure children's wellbeing both during the pandemic and after it ends. (155 -157) 17. Tomori 