COVID Lockdowns Linked to Potential Long-Term Impacts on Children’s Brain Growth

A new study suggests the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged lockdowns may have caused lasting effects on children’s brain development. Research led by the University of East Anglia found that many children experienced setbacks in important mental skills known as executive functions — including the ability to control behavior, focus attention, and adjust to new situations.

The study found the biggest impact on children who were in reception (ages four to five) when lockdowns began in March 2020. This is normally a key stage when kids develop social skills, learn routines, and adapt to classroom environments. Instead, many were forced to stay home and learn online or rely on parents for schooling.

Now about 10 or 11 years old and nearing the end of primary school, these children showed slower development in self-regulation and cognitive flexibility compared with younger children who were still in preschool when the pandemic started.

The findings, published in the journal Child Development, suggest the effects of pandemic disruptions could still be influencing this group years later. The results come from an ongoing long-term study that had already been tracking children’s development before the pandemic began.

Full story here: https://www.msn.com/en-in/health/other/covid-lockdowns-may-have-permanently-stunted-brain-development-in-children-alarming-study-finds/ar-AA1Xvfcb