Children born during the Covid-19 pandemic period have significantly reduced verbal, motor and general cognitive performance compared to children born earlier, a US study suggests.
The first years of a child's life are important for cognitive development and as Covid-19 caused the closure of businesses, nurseries, schools and playgrounds, life for the baby changed significantly as parents struggled to balance work. and child care.
"With limited stimulation at home and less interaction with the outside world, children in the pandemic era appear to have achieved low test scores to assess cognitive development," said study lead author Sean Deoni, an associate professor. of Pediatrics at Brown University.
In the decade before the pandemic, the average IQ (IQ) score on tests for children aged three months to three years was around 100, but for children born during the pandemic the number reaches up to 78.
IQ is a total score derived from a set of standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence.
"According to researchers, children from the lower socio-economic strata had worse test scores. "The biggest reason behind the drop in points is probably the lack of stimulation and interaction at home," said Deoni.
"Given that this data comes from a relatively affluent part of the United States, there is a fear that things may be more negative in the poorest parts of the country and the world," he added.
Terence Stephenson, a professor of child health at University College London, said the research was interesting, as there is a lot of data and analysis on the impact of the pandemic on children’s education, but it has never been discussed about infants.
The main factor influencing these outcomes in infants is likely to be the stress experienced by the parents. They faced challenges both at work and in caring for full-time children.
* The Guardian article translated and adapted into Albanian by Tiranapost
