It's hard to keep a lid on our own anxieties as the coronavirus situation worsens around the globe, but helping our little ones deal with their worries is especially important.

According to psychotherapist and anxiety specialist Pauline McKinnon, Australian kids are worried about getting and dying from the virus.

She said this comes from what they're seeing on social media and the news for older kids, and rumours in the playground for primary aged kids.

“Kids are going talk to each other about coronavirus," she said.

"That’s inevitable. Some of the ‘tough’ ones will embellish and exaggerate the story. The confident types who just happened to watch the news that morning will highlight all that could happen and could go wrong.

"They will relish every juicy detail, frightening everyone. This will happen in primary schools up to high schools and university,” she said.


Exaggerated reports in the school yard can be upsetting. Photo: iStock.

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Kids feel anxiety more keenly

She believes that parents need to appreciate how scared kids are at this time and that they often have different and more severe reactions than adults.

“A child’s brain operates very differently to an adult’s brain. An adult’s brain is able to reason using logic and evidence. An adult’s brain is also much better at understanding probability and putting catastrophes into perspective,” McKinnon said.

“An adult’s brain is able to reign in fears using logic and life experiences. We know that things get better in the face of our fears. Kids don’t usually have that ability. They hear about a scary monster and they immediately assume it’s under their bed.

“Kids can lose sleep, worrying over things that probably will never happen. Kids lose sleep for fear of the bogeyman. On the topic of health issues, the child’s imagination will colourfully envisage the virus affecting them.

“When the worry expressed by a child’s elders is transmitted to them, their imagination is ripe for converting a few words into an outright disaster. When it comes to children, the old saying “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” really applies.”

Calmly discussing the truth is the key

So how do we help them to manage their fears? She said to use family meal times for truthful discussions.

“Use dinner time to teach your kids about facts, not fantasies. Family time, truthful discussions, humour, fun and quiet calming practices should be introduced to balance otherwise hysterical information sharing,” McKinnon said.


Empowering children can help them worry less. Photo: iStock.

Listening to their concerns and explaining things in a simple, positive way is important. And empowering them to keep themselves safe with hand washing and sneezing into elbows can help to reduce their anxiety.

McKinnon also recommends meditating with kids. 

“Any type of meditation can be helpful for children going through periods of great stress."