The daily experience of the Covid-19 pandemic in children's perspective ¹

Abstract

Introduction

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people's lives, with children being one of the most affected social groups.

Objective

To understand how children experienced daily life during the Covid-19 pandemic from their own perspective.

Method

Exploratory study, using a qualitative approach, conducted with 19 children aged 9 to 11 years old, linked to a public school. Graphic elucidation was used as a trigger for the theme's collection of data, followed by a semi-structured interview. Both the narratives derived from graphic elucidations and the data produced in interviews were analyzed using content analysis.

Results

Some themes emerged, four of which will be presented - children's understanding of Covid-19 and the feelings generated; death and mourning as a result of the pandemic; family relationships; the social vulnerability experienced by families. The results showed how clear the children were about the origin of the virus and its spread, the risks arising from contamination such as the death of family members, and the importance of the vaccine. In some families it was possible to share more moments together and, in others, there was distancing, conflicts and reports of violence. In addition, the situation of social vulnerability stands out, in the face of unemployment and hunger.

Conclusion

The results made it possible to identify how children experienced the pandemic in a scenario of greater social vulnerability, based on the voices and perspectives of the children themselves. It is understood that investing in studies of this nature enables better coping with future adverse situations, favoring their development and mental health, based on the proposition of public policies and care strategies for this population.

Keywords:
Children; Activities of Daily Living; Mental Health; Occupational Therapy; Covid-19