Opinion: The lack of a national policy agenda for children during Covid-19 — and beyond — causes grave harm
As a neonatal intensivist, helping families and newborns in distress is part of my job. In the intensive care unit, the distress is obvious. Covid-19 is shining a light on distress in children and families that has been largely hidden.
My colleagues and I recently published the results of the Vanderbilt Child Health Poll, a national survey of more than 1,000 parents that was conducted in June 2020. We wondered how parents and children were coping with disruptions to their life because of Covid-19. We asked an array of questions ranging from how people’s mental health is faring to their use of nutritional support programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
