Healthy Habits: COVID-19 Resources for Parents from St. Jude

As parents and families continue to grapple with explaining and communicating to children about the ongoing coronavirus global health pandemic, Dr. Valerie Crabtree, Chief of Psychosocial Services at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has authored an opinion piece for the leading psychology and mental health publication, Psychology Today highlighting tools and resources for families and parents to help children better understand the current COVD-19 pandemic.

Highlighting a suite of resources designed by a psychologist and child life specialist with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Dr. Crabtree writes in a piece recently in Psychology Today titled, “COVID-19 Resources for Parents to Share with Children”:

It’s important to talk openly and honestly with your child. Being open and sharing information can reduce anxiety, confusion and misconceptions. Children can have active imaginations, which can lead to unnecessary anxiety in times of stress. Because of this, try to find a healthy balance between answering questions openly without overwhelming them with too much information.

Using their years of expertise helping families and children discuss difficult illnesses and diagnoses, psychologists and child life specialists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have developed a suite of tools available in multiple languages (currently in English, Spanish, French and Arabic) for utilization by parents and caregivers to help children better understand the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to view all of the St. Jude coronavirus resources, which are free and easily downloadable for the general public to utilize during this global health pandemic.
Dr. Crabtree continues writing that some children may benefit from, “a visual explanation to help understand what the novel coronavirus is. It could help them understand, in developmentally appropriate terms, just why we are practicing social distancing. They need to know why it’s so important that we wash our hands, use face masks, and protect ourselves during this pandemic.”
The suite of coronavirus-related tools include the Learn About the Coronavirus Coloring Book developed for children ages 5-9 (currently being translated into nine additional languages), as well as the Learn About the Coronavirus Activity Book geared more toward “tweens” ages 10-13 more or less and resources to talk to teens.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. St. Jude is ranked the No. 1 pediatric cancer hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. To learn more, visit stjude.org or follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.