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Effects of the pandemic on preschool children: A Canadian study

Content Editor: Dr. Himabindu Reddy

November 27, 2023 at 12:30:00 PM

Covid-19, Global health, Child health, Mental health, Lockdown

Content Editor: Dr. Himabindu Reddy

  • A recent study published in the JAMA network analyzed Canadian children born between February 2018 and June 2022.

  • The aim of the study was to draw conclusions about the effects of the pandemic on preschool children.

  • The children were surveyed at ages 2 and 4.5 and included those who lived through four periods of nationwide lockdown and many school closures during the pandemic.

  • The sample consisted of 718 children aged 24 months and 703 aged 54 months.

  • In both age groups, some were studied before the pandemic and the rest during the pandemic.

  • Those aged 24 months were assessed using the Ages and Stages questionnaire for:

  1. Problem-solving

  2. Personal-social skills

  3. Communication

  4. Motor skills

  • Early childhood cognitive battery was completed by children in the 54-month age group.

  • The study concluded that:

  1. Better problem skills were found among pandemic-exposed 24-month-old preschoolers

  2. Better memory and composite cognitive skills were found among the pandemic pandemic-exposed 54-month-olds

  3. No significant differences in socioemotional skills were found due to exposure to the pandemic and lockdown.

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