Can COVID affect your child's development?

Researchers did a comprehensive test to study the COVID environment from aged 3 months to 3 years, including 39 babies born during the pandemic.

Comparing the result before and during COVID, shows that those assessed in 2020 and 2022 scored lower on tests of early learning, including language, puzzle-solving and motor skills such as standing and walking. 

We grew convinced that the findings may be accurate as we look at a few factors for children age 1 years old and above.

1. Toddlers are not getting as much gross motor practices as usual since the playground is closed. Furthermore, interactions has also been reduced. This is quite an unfortunate thing because those skills kind of lay the foundation for all the other skills

2. The mask effects. A child who has been interacting with mask on, which obscure parts of the face important expressions, can also affect the kid's emotional and language development.

Overall, researchers maintain that most children will probably be okay. However, parents should continue to pay great attention especially for newborn with the first 1,000 days of a child's life as the crucial early foundations.