Italy survey finds irritability, anxiety in locked-down kids

A national survey in Italy on the psychological impact of coronavirus lockdowns on Italian children has quantified the observations of parents.

Results from the survey released on Tuesday by Italy’s Health Ministry showed that children were more irritable and had trouble sleeping, and some of the youngest kids regressed developmentally.

Among the respondents with children under age 6, 65% reported their children suffered behavior problems and regression.

The survey conducted by the Giannina Gaslini Pediatric Hospital in Genoa in conjunction with the University of Genoa found the symptoms were more pronounced in families with parents who were particularly stressed or included elderly relatives at high risk of COVID-19.