I'm A Therapist Who's Seeing More 'Cocooned' Kids In Clinic – It's Heartbreaking

There is a group of children I see in my clinic which breaks my heart more than any other.

They are not disruptive. They are not aggressive or “badly behaved”. They are what I call “cocooned” – sheltered from the world, always with good intention.

These children live almost entirely in their bedrooms. Food is brought to them. Plates are taken away. Days pass without stepping outside. Sometimes weeks go by without meaningful human contact beyond a screen.

Their parents are loving...