Black families were hit hard by the pandemic. The effects on children may be lasting.

 


"Poverty, food insecurity and housing insecurity are major sources of pervasive stress, Condon said. When a child experiences toxic stress, their stress response is “essentially always activated.” “Over time, the inflammation and the adrenaline and all of the things that are going on in the body start to wear and tear on all of the different systems,” she explained, “and that is what leads to poor physical and mental health outcomes for children who experience early adversity.

Vicarious racism, or secondhand exposure to racism that Black children may experience watching or hearing about the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, is also a source of pervasive stress, Condon said.

Black children are also being left behind in the education system at all levels. For children from pre-K through high school, both Broady and Hardy said uninterrupted access to the hardware and internet necessary to successfully participate in online learning is another huge concern. "
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Black families were hit hard by the pandemic. The effects on children may be lasting. - Chicago Tribune