COVID Era Babies: 7 Developmental Setbacks No One Saw Coming

A recently published article on Slate.fr shed light on troubling findings regarding the developmental milestones of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study conducted by five Irish researchers indicated that these so-called “COVID babies” have spent significantly more time engaging with screens than with developmental toys, a trend exacerbated as their parents juggled remote work and childcare responsibilities.

Despite being confined mainly at home, many of these infants are displaying lasting repercussions from the lockdowns.

The New York Times interviewed a range of educators, pediatricians, and early childhood experts, whose observations align with emerging scientific research suggesting that children born during the pandemic exhibit notable developmental delays.

Compared to previous generations at the same age, these children are struggling with key skills such as holding a crayon, identifying shapes and colors, communicating their needs, using the toilet, managing their emotions, and interacting with peers.

While prior studies have documented declines in academic performance, particularly in areas like mathematics for these children, they may not fully capture the cognitive delays observed by professionals in preschool settings.

Tommy Sheridan, Deputy Director of the National Head Start Association, noted a stark contrast to pre-pandemic children, stating that “we are seeing preschoolers who are throwing chairs, biting, and hitting, lacking the usual self-regulation.”

The challenges faced by these infants stem from the unique circumstances of their early months, which were spent in isolation.

The lack of opportunities for social interaction with peers and limited adult engagement—often behind masks and accompanied by stressed parents—has hindered their language acquisition.

The pervasive stress in their environments has led to an excess of energy directed at areas of the brain associated with fear, further complicating their emotional and cognitive development.

During this critical developmental phase, the increased reliance on screens has not only inhibited neural development but also weakened physical muscle strength, as pointed out by Sarrah Hovis, an educator in Michigan.

The closure of daycare facilities during the pandemic has also deprived these children of essential early socialization, which is vital for a smooth transition to preschool.

Although a significant majority of young children are experiencing these developmental delays, disparities exist based on socioeconomic factors.

In the United States, children from African American and Hispanic families, as well as those from low-income households, are facing the greatest struggles.

This issue is compounded by the fact that many of these families are not enrolling their babies in daycare as frequently as they did prior to the pandemic due to financial constraints.

Regrettably, U.S government responses have been inadequate. While some local initiatives aim to increase the number of educational assistants or offer summer programs aimed at preschool readiness, the early childhood demographic has not been prioritized in the allocation of federal aid amountsing to $122 billion (approximately €114 billion) distributed to school districts.

The behavioral and cognitive challenges are being recognized by healthcare professionals as well. Heidi Tringali, a pediatrician in Charlotte, North Carolina, has noted increased problems with behavior, language acquisition, vision, muscle strength, social skills, and attention among these “COVID babies.”

Fortunately, experts like Dr. Dani Dumitriu, a pediatrician and neuroscientist at Columbia, remain optimistic about the potential for recovery.

She asserted that deficits experienced during early childhood, particularly around the age of six months, do not determine a child’s entire future.

As Sarrah Hovis concluded, the benefits of attending school remain consistent: “If children come to class, they learn.”

However, comparisons between current and past generations in terms of educational achievement remain concerning.

An earlier study published in 2022 by the same research team pointed to developmental discrepancies evident even in toddlers born during the initial lockdowns.

The findings indicated that infants born during the March 2020 confinement exhibited slower communication skills compared to their pre-pandemic counterparts.

Before their first birthdays, they found it more challenging to say goodbye, point to objects or individuals, or articulate their first intelligible words.

Interestingly, the research also noted that babies born during this period showed an earlier ability to crawl.

Susan Byrne, a pediatric neurologist leading the research, confirmed, “For babies born during the pandemic, their first year was profoundly different from that of babies born before.”

The findings raised urgent questions about the long-term implications of these developmental delays for the “COVID generation.”

As society grapples with the lingering effects of the pandemic, addressing the needs of these children will be crucial in the coming years.

Source: Le Mauricien