Pasadena Child Psychologist Urges Parents to Assuage Fear, Keep Kids Socially Connected During Pandemic

Along with the adult-size problems associated with the ongoing pandemic, uncertainty and social isolation can also take a psychological toll on children, according to a Pasadena child psychologist.

Fear and a lack of social contact seem to be among the two biggest issues challenging children and their families, said Clinical Psychologist Dustin Plattner, who works with children and families at his Pasadena-based practice.

In general, children tend to be highly resilient, Plattner said. “But there is a sense of nervousness or of not knowing what’s going to happen next — kind of a ‘When will it?’ sort of experience that they have,” Plattner said.

“Unregulated emotion can be quite chaotic, and especially fear,” he said. “When someone’s in fear, it causes chaos. So thinking through things and getting a level head about it can be extremely helpful.

“The adjustments to social, school and family life brought on by the pandemic, alone, can cause anxiety for some,” Plattner said.

“Another thing is what I would call an adjustment sort of process, adjusting to such a big shift in their typical schedules and the nervousness that goes along with the adjustment. Now they’re in school, they’re doing things online, and with some families, they’ve chosen not to go and play out with their friends outside,” he said. “So it’s been quite an adjustment to the families.”

Oftentimes, more information leads to decreased anxiety levels and fear, Plattner said.

“Try to find reassurance through your community. Try to find reassurance through all the data that’s out there. That will help bring awareness to what you might be afraid about. Some things we’re afraid about, and they’re not actually even true.”

“The more we’re level-headed about it, then it helps us then get some reality into the mix, and then we can actually feel more stable and calm,” Plattner added.

Humans are social creatures, and interaction is especially vital for kids, Plattner said.

“The biggest thing is social. When we’re little, and now even as adults, we need to be in contact with others and we need the back-and-forth. We need the play, and especially kids, they need that a lot. So that’s the biggest loss that they’re feeling,” he said. “So we’ve had to become creative and families have become creative in how to get their kids, in the best way that they can get them, social connection and thriving that way…. we can’t operate in a vacuum.”

Following last week’s violence at the nation’s Capitol, Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald issued a letter to parents expressing concern over the psychological impact it might be having on children.

“As our country processes these events, we encourage kids to talk to teachers, counselors, and staff about any anxieties or concerns,” he wrote. “The district is providing additional support to those who need it.”

“Our primary responsibility is and continues to be to care for children so that they learn and thrive,” McDonald said. “Children may be experiencing a variety of feelings as a result of today’s events and the issues that were brought up during the election.”

McDonald reminded parents that PUSD has clinical social workers available to help support students. 

More information is available by contacting PUSD Manager of Mental Health Lara Choulakian at (626) 396-3600 x 88233, or by email at choulakian.lara@pusd.us.

More information on Plattner and his practice can be found online at https://www.drdustinplattner.com.