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How to talk to children about COVID-19
“How to talk to children about COVID” is part of the “Caring during COVID” video series, a collection of resources to support families during the pandemic.
December 14, 2020

2020 Celebrations: Video series from McMaster Children’s Hospital

FEATURE SERIES

Caring during COVID

Healthcare providers from McMaster Children’s Hospital created more than 30 video resources for families to access during the pandemic. Watch.

When the world changed due to COVID-19, so did the way we provide content to our audience. Our healthcare providers stepped up to fill a gap and reach their patients and families virtually when in-person meetings had to come to a halt. Staff at McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) created the Caring During COVID video series to address important topics such as “How to talk to children about COVID-19” and “Managing childhood diabetes during COVID-19” to provide expertise on how to cope with the pandemic at home. Staff and physicians share their expertise in more than 30 videos showcasing tips for physical and mental health practices for families during the pandemic.

Our teams recognized the back-to-school season was a time of uncertainty for many families. Our experts shared some practical information to support families during the transition in our Back to School video series. There are resources on infection prevention and control, child and youth mental health, and navigating the start of school for children with autism.

Near the end of the year, the MCH Child and Youth Mental Health program created the Youth Suicide Prevention video series to provide a practical coaching resource to parents, teachers, and community partners. These resources can be used to guide discussions about suicide with youth, to decrease the stigma and fear associated with these conversations, and to fill a gap in electronic resources currently available to families.


McMaster Children’s Hospital has been providing care to children from across the region since 1988. Patients ranging in age from infancy to 17 receive care through a family-centred approach that accounts for the child’s emotional, mental and physical well-being.

The hospital is home to the fastest-growing kids-only emergency department in Ontario, one of Canada’s most advanced neonatal intensive care units, and a range of programs and clinics with unique expertise in a number of areas including children’s cancer, digestive diseases, and mental health.

Read all the 2020 celebration stories this month.