One of several unusual symptoms that have emerged in COVID-19 patients is something called “brain fog” or “COVID brain.” What’s worse, is that it is prominent in children too.
“Brain fog,” or “COVID brain” is characterized by headaches, short-term memory loss, confusion and, in severe cases, it can lead to psychosis or even seizures. With lingering physical, mental and neurological symptoms affecting both adults and children, it’s no wonder many refer to these affects as “Long COVID.” What’s even worse is that the symptoms, the duration of these symptoms, and the severity varies from person-to-person.
What’s even more interesting is that children, even though they rarely experienced severe initial symptoms of COVID-19, seem to be suffering from “Long COVID” alongside adults.
Data released by the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) in February and updated in April also sparked concern. They showed that 9.8% of children aged 2–11 years and 13% aged 12–16 years reported at least one lingering symptom five weeks after a positive diagnosis. Another report released in April found that one-quarter of children who were surveyed after discharge from hospital in Russia post-COVID-19, had symptoms more than five months later.
How Will Brain Fog Affect Students in the Long-Run?
After the initial COVID-19 symptoms go away, research shoes that 20-30% of people experience brain fog.
Symptoms of brain fog may also appear as:
Walking into a room and forgetting why you are there
Losing your train of thought
Difficulty thinking of the right words
Difficulty remembering what you just read
Taking longer to complete tasks
Forgetting recipes or steps when cooking
Leaving lights or appliances on unintentionally
Forgetting what you were doing after becoming distracted
“Although kids tend not to be so badly affected by COVID-19 and often have asymptomatic or mild cases, we are seeing kids who have decreased exercise tolerance, joint pain, fatigue, and brain fog after COVID-19 infection,” says Katharine Clouser, M.D., a pediatric hospital medicine specialist at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health.
It is not yet clear how many children have been affected by this “long-COVID” syndrome, but studies show that up to 40 percent of children in Italy and approximately 15-20 percent of children in England are experiencing “long-haul” COVID-19 symptoms.
In short, the answer is we don’t know how this is going to affect kids and students in the long run. This is something we are going to have to wait out and see!
What Can We Do to Minimise Brain Fog in Students?
While it is unclear what measurements we are to take to minimise brain fog, here are some recommendations according to heatlh.harvard.edu :
Eat Mediterranean meals
A diet full of fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains can help improve cognitive function.
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Give your brain a chance to heal by eliminating that which hinders its’ functions.
Sleep well
Sleep helps the brain to rest and recharge. Getting a full eight hours, or more for children, can help you give your brain a better chance at getting over brain fog.
Perform aerobic exercise
30 minutes a day five days a week can do wonders for your brain health. But don’t overdo it! If you need to start at five or ten minutes a day, start there. The best exercise regime you can partake in is one you’ll actually do!
Participate in social activities
Humans are social creatures. Being around others improves our thinking and our moods – just observe social-distancing and other COVID precautions!
Read
Anything that helps engage the mind helps the mind. Listening to music, reading a book or playing brain games may help reduce brain fog in you and your children!
Practice mindfulness
Meditation or watching your mind via mindfulness helps your brain to focus. When you notice it wandering off down a “rabbit hole,” gently bring it back into focus.
Keep a positive attitude
There are many benefits to being positive and keeping a positive outlook. This may also help get rid of brain fog. Remember to be consistent!
About Little Human Scholars Preschool in PJ
Little Human Scholars is an all-in-one childcare solution. It is a preschool, playschool, kindergarten, nursery and full-day daycare centre (with extended hours) located in the heart of PJ.
In fact, the location is one of the things which makes Little Human Scholars so sought after – it is conveniently nestled near Jalan Gasing, University hospital, PJ Old town, PJ New town, Jaya One, Jaya33, and the PJ IT Mall.
The best part is LHS school in PJ has premiere services many other schools in PJ don’t offer such as full-day daycare with extended hours, CCTV access for parents, and a nifty little phone app that provides parents with automatic updates on their child’s development, behaviour and health checks.
With full-time guards always present at each of their locations, access to CCTV (which is in every room except the office, bathroom and kitchen areas), and very strict pick-up and drop-off rules, Little Human Scholars treats every child who walks into its hallways as one of their own children!
This place has it all: location, safety, health, IGSCE curriculum and play-based learning. What more could you ask for? Did I mention they also have transportation services and offer meal plans for students? It doesn’t get any better than that.
If you are interested in a tour of one of our centres (that’s right, there’s more than one), all you need to do is fill out the form here or call +6017-7303-025 and an LHS administrative staff will get back with you shortly!
Cheers,