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More than 140,000 American children have suffered the loss of a parent or caregiver due to COVID-19, according to a recent study.
COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death among Americans last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so many children have also lost extended family members or close family friends.
And death is not the only form of loss that children have faced. Children of all ages have experienced the loss of friendships through physical separation. They've missed out on social experiences and milestones like in-person schooling, sports seasons, proms, or even graduations.
How can parents help their children through the grieving process?
"Children of different ages react to death differently," said Army Capt. (Dr.) Christin Folker, a pediatrician at Weed Army Community Hospital at Fort Irwin, California.
"Infants and toddlers will notice the absence of a caregiver or sense that something is wrong and that others are upset," she said. "Even without understanding the concept of death, their brain development is influenced by these stressful experiences, promoting a stronger 'fight-or-flight' response to future stressors."
In preschool and early school-age years, "children may believe that death is temporary and that their loved one will come back," said Army Capt. (Dr.) Cory McFadden, a staff pediatrician at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, Texas.
"The younger that a child is when he or she experiences the loss of a loved one, the more they will struggle with the finality of death. It will take time for them to understand that the person is no longer alive," he said.
"Because of this difficulty with understanding, they will in general grieve a little quicker and bounce back," he suggested.
Folker explained how younger children may struggle with a wide range of emotions.
"They also may believe that they are in some way to blame for the death if they misbehaved or got angry with that loved one," Folker said.
"A more concrete understanding of the causes and absolute nature of death begins in school age years," she explained.
"Adolescents will process losses more similarly to adults, but many are processing these experiences and their accompanying strong emotions for the first time."