# Psychosocial impact of pediatric long COVID: a dyadic analysis of persistent symptoms, sleep, and self-esteem in parents and children

## TL;DR

This study explores how long COVID in children affects both their health and that of their parents, highlighting shared psychosocial challenges.

## Contribution

The study introduces a dyadic analysis of parent-child health outcomes in pediatric long COVID, emphasizing shared psychosocial impacts.

## Key findings

- Parents with persistent symptoms reported worse sleep and higher insomnia scores.
- Children, especially girls, showed significant sleep-related difficulties.
- Shared psychosocial burdens were identified, suggesting the need for family-focused support.

## Abstract

Pediatric long COVID can lead to persistent symptoms that affect the child’s daily functioning and may influence family dynamics. Parents of children with chronic conditions may be at risk of experiencing challenges related to their own health, sleep, and self-esteem. Exploring the parent–child dyad may provide a deeper understanding of how long COVID impacts both individuals and their relationship. The aim of this study was to describe health, sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, and self-esteem in parents of children with long COVID, and to see how these factors are affected by the child´s disability exploring child-parent dyads and triads.

This cross-sectional study, part of the interdisciplinary project POCOKIDS, included 35 parents and 26 children who completed questionnaires on long COVID symptoms, sleep quality, insomnia, and self-esteem.

Parents with persistent symptoms reported poorer sleep, higher insomnia scores, and greater worry about finances, employment, social life, and their child’s education than those without symptoms. Notably, parents without persistent symptoms reported lower self-esteem. Most children reported poor sleep quality, and nearly half met criteria for insomnia symptoms, with girls experiencing more sleep-related difficulties than boys. Children’s self-esteem was less affected than their parents’.

The findings reveal a shared psychosocial burden and underscore the need for individualized support addressing both children’s and caregivers’ health and emotional needs.