Long-term neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological impact of the pandemic in Italian COVID-19 family clusters, including children and parents

Aim This study investigated the long-term neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological impact of COVID-19 on children and their parents in households with COVID-19 exposure. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted on 46 families attending the COVID-19 Follow-up Clinic at the Department for Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua (Italy) from December 2021 to November 2022. Self-perceived stress-related, emotional-behavioral, and post-traumatic stress (PTSD-related) symptoms were assessed in both children and parents. Children with underlying neuropsychiatric conditions were excluded from the study. Results A total of 81 parents (median age = 38 years [IQR: 43–48], females = 44 [54.3%]), and 77 children (median age = 8 years [IQR: 5–11], females = 33 [42.9%]) participated in the study. Overall,125 (79%) and 33 (21%) participants were classified as COVID-19 cases and non-COVID-19 cases, respectively. The time interval between the COVID-19 family outbreak and the neuropsychiatric and psy...