Mental health toll from isolation affecting kids on reentry

From suicidal crises to mental fatigue, many U.S. kids are facing challenges navigating reentry after more than a year of living in a pandemic

After two suicidal crises during pandemic isolation, 16-year-old Zach Sampson feels stronger but worries his social skills have gone stale. Amara Bhatia has overcome her pandemic frustrations but the teen feels worn down, in a state of "neutralness.'' Virginia Shipp is adjusting but says returning to normal “is kind of unnormal for me.’’ After relentless months of social distancing, online schooling and other restrictions, many kids are feeling the pandemic’s toll or facing new challenges navigating reentry. A surge in teen suicide attempts and other mental health crises prompted Children’s Hospital Colorado to declare a state of emergency in late May, when emergency department and hospital inpatient beds were overrun with suicidal kids and those struggling with other psychiatric problems. Typical emergency-department waiting times for psychiatric treatment doubled in May to about 20 hours, said Jason Williams, a pediatric psychologist at the hospital in Aurora.