Well-being of children and adolescents with and without special health needs following the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions

Elsa Lorthe, Roxane Dumont, Viviane Richard, Andrea Loizeau, Géraldine Blanchard-Rohner, Stephanie Schrempft, Hélène Baysson, Maria-Eugenia Zaballa, Julien Lamour, Philippe Eigenmann, Stéphanie Garcia-Tarodo, Manel Mejbri, Nathalie Rock, Isabelle Ruchonnet-Métrailler, Mayssam Nehme, Rémy P. Barbe, Klara M. Posfay-Barbe, Idris Guessous, Silvia Stringhini, for the SEROCoV-KIDS study group.
Well-Being of Children and Adolescents with and without Special Health Care Needs Following the Lifting of Pandemic-Related Restrictions.The Journal of Pediatrics, March 2025, doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114528

Abstract

Objective : To examine the physical, psychological and social well-being of children with and without special health care needs (SHCNs) following the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions.

Method : Using three successive waves of data collected as part of the SEROCoV-KIDS study, a prospective population-based cohort, we conducted a longitudinal analysis to study the association of PHN (none, moderate or complex) in phase 1 (September 2022 to February 2023) with physical, psychological and social well-being (15 indicators) in phase 2 (May to September 2023), adjusting for participant characteristics and previous outcome values at time 0 (December 2021 to June 2022).

Results : Of the 1993 participants aged 2 to 17, 1,533 completed the phase 1 questionnaire (median age 10, 49.6% girls), of whom 10.6% had moderate needs and 3.3% complex needs. Although not more frequently infected with SARS-CoV-2 than healthy children, children with PHB experienced more severe psychosocial consequences in 2023, including lower well-being, varying according to the complexity of their needs. Compared with their healthy peers, children with moderate needs had more physical difficulties (adjusted risk 2.84 [95% confidence interval: 1.42-5.67]) and social difficulties (2.20 [1.33-3.65]), as well as externalizing difficulties (3.68 [1.67-8.11]), i.e. problems with outward-looking behaviour. They nevertheless showed similar levels of prosocial behaviour or social support. Children with complex needs were particularly at risk of deterioration in their physical, psychological and social well-being.

Conclusions : Children and adolescents with PHNs suffered reduced well-being after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, with no obvious improvement over time. Sustained monitoring and tailored interventions are essential to improve their level of well-being, which remains sub-optimal as we emerge from the pandemic.

Link to the article in English