Early Edge California’s Patricia Lozano Joins CalMatters’ “PolicyMatters” panel “Will the kids be all right?”
Early Edge California’s Executive Director Patricia Lozano joined CalMatters’ virtual Q&A panel, “Will the kids be all right?” on August 20, 2020, to discuss the long-term impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health with fellow experts Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Surgeon General of California, and Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Director of UC Davis’ Center for Reducing Health Disparities. The panel, moderated by mental health reporter Jocelyn Wiener, explored potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health, what behaviors to watch for in your child, and how to help them cope with the stress of the pandemic.
During the discussion, Patricia shared about the impact on our youngest children, “I worry about how this is affecting the way [little kids] are seeing the world now and the fear of contact with others…We really need to think about once this is over, how we are going to come back and help them adapt.”
Patricia highlighted the need for support for childcare providers and teachers, and also provided valuable advice for parents who shared their questions in real time, “Don’t think you have to solve everything alone,” she reassured. “It’s okay to reach out when there’s a mental health issue…there’s help out there.”
Watch or listen to the recording to hear the full discussion (a Spanish translation is available here). You can also read CalMatters’ recap of the panel which includes resources for parents and caregivers to help children cope with life during the pandemic.