Thread by @ewnreporter

#COVIDChildren Experts working with children here in South Africa have noticed an emerging picture of a generation of mentally wounded girls and boys, some of whom are showing early signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. ML

#COVIDChildren In the last year and a half - many South African households have lost relatives to COVID19 - and as children head back to school this week - many of them are battling to cope with mental illness. ML

#COVIDChildren Eyewitness News takes a look at the impact of the pandemic on children in this country.

#COVIDChildren Thousands of pupils are getting back into the routine of going to school – and seeing their friends and teachers... But for some, the constant reminder that they’ve lost loved ones is almost too much to bear. ML

#COVIDChildren Deputy minister in the presidency for youth, Hlengiwe Mkhize says many children are battling to process their feelings. ML

#COVIDChildren Mkhize referred to a child who lost his father. “One woman was sharing that the child started saying, but when is daddy coming back? Because he needs to take us to school. It’s getting cold.” ML

#COVIDChildren Save The Children South Africa's CEO Steve Miller believes the real pandemic is now being experienced among children. He says he can guarantee that many children will grapple with long term toxic stress. ML

#COVIDChildren So what we are seeing emerging now is a picture that is greatly troubling and should be for all of us in South Africa. Children have been reaching out because they don’t always have people to speak to, we see children reliving trauma. ML

#COVIDChildren Child psychiatrist Anusha Lachman says the number of children she's seeing for anxiety has increased in recent months. ML

#COVIDChildren Lachman: They are fearful of the unpredictability, they don't know who's going to die next. What will happen if my grandmother dies? My auntie looks after me and she's on the taxi now and she can't get vaccinated. Is she going to get it and die?”