Illustrative image of a child in confinement.

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Stephane ALLAMAN / SIPA

  • While the prospect of a third confinement is emerging, Professor Isabelle Claudet, head of pediatric emergencies in Toulouse, is opposed to a closure of schools and colleges.

  • The pediatric services of the Toulouse University Hospital have recorded a 40 to 70% increase in admissions of children and adolescents for psychological problems in recent days.

  • According to a study carried out by Isabelle Claudet's service, one in five children suffered post-traumatic stress during the first confinement.

She does not budge.

Like the French pediatric society, Professor Isabelle Claudet, head of the emergency department at the Toulouse children's hospital, is opposed to the closure of schools if a third confinement was decided.

A position that is far from rhetorical.

In recent days, its teams have seen an influx of young people suffering from psychological problems.

“We have a lot of children in hospital who are decompensating today.

There are 40-70% more admissions.

Instead of having three to four hospitalizations per day for these reasons, we have twelve to fourteen… And that worries us enormously, “underlines this person in charge.

Some people develop anorexia nervosa, others acute forms of anxiety.

As many pathologies that this specialist expected to see resurface, especially in adolescents.

Because these disorders, the latter scrutinized them closely as part of a study called E-COCCON.

During the first confinement, his team interviewed 380 children aged 8 to 15 and their parents.

With the objective of detecting the effects of these two months locked up, far from their daily life, their schools and college, and their friends.

If the results are in the process of being published, Isabelle Claudet is already unveiling one of the main results: "One in five children has suffered from post-traumatic stress, girls having a higher rate than boys" , advances the pediatrician.

A stress that has manifested itself in different forms, whether it is sleep disorders, anger or for some a desire to stay at home, as a form of withdrawal to protect themselves from the outside, the "cabin syndrome". ".

Slackening on barrier gestures

A similar study carried out in Italy on the children of caregivers gave even more marked results, since in this case one in three children suffering from post-traumatic stress.

So if she conceives that we can occasionally close a school or college when there is a cluster, the head of pediatric emergencies is against a global measure, "it is not legitimate for the mental health of children".

Especially since, according to her, publications on the circulation of the virus among children are increasing to confirm that they "are not very transmitters of the virus, because they do not have a significant respiratory form", she continues.

Our file on the coronavirus

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On the other hand, the latter warns against loosening up on barrier gestures in recent weeks, in particular on hand washing or the use of hydroalcoholic gel.

This is reflected in particular by signs of greater viral circulation, in particular a return of cases of gastroenteritis.

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  • Child

  • Confinement

  • Toulouse

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