Pandemic Lockdown Measures Linked To Increased Developmental Concerns In Young Children

Lockdown and societal distancing measures during nan Covid-19 pandemic were associated pinch accrued developmental concerns astir young children successful Scotland, investigation suggests.

A study of almost 258,000 children successful Scotland recovered that, aft accounting for pre-pandemic trends, location was an summation successful nan proportionality of toddlers showing immoderate developmental issues passim nan play of lockdown and societal distancing measures betwixt March 2020 and August 2021.

This summation was greater for those who knowledgeable a longer play of societal distancing measures pinch up to a 6.6 per cent increase.

Researchers opportunity nan findings supply important caller information connected really nan Covid-19 pandemic nationalist wellness and societal measures from March 2020 were associated pinch early kid development, including reside and connection skills, beingness activity aliases affectional growth.

The University of Edinburgh led study measured relationships betwixt lockdown measures and developmental concerns identified by nan wellness visitors of young children.

The study is nan largest known study of information assessing Covid-19 measures connected kid developmental outcomes astatine a organization level successful nan United Kingdom aliases Europe.

The researchers assessed information from regular wellness reviews and examined nan proportionality of children pinch immoderate concerns raised by wellness visitors regarding their improvement complete time.

The study assessed much than 80 per cent of each children successful Scotland who were aged 13 to 15 months and 27 to 30 months betwixt January 2019 and August 2023.

Researchers recovered grounds of accrued developmental concerns among children, pinch up to a 6.6 percent points summation successful nan proportionality of children pinch astatine slightest 1 developmental interest crossed nan 72 weeks wherever lockdown measures were successful spot from March 2020 to August 2021.

Findings were accordant crossed different types of developmental concerns including problem solving, reside and behaviour.

The proportionality of children pinch developmental concerns remained higher than pre-pandemic levels moreover aft lockdown and societal distancing measures were removed successful August 2021.

Notably, developmental concerns astatine 13 to 15 months continued to emergence moreover aft nan nationalist wellness and societal measures were lifted, while developmental concerns astatine nan 27 to 30 period reviews stopped expanding but remained supra pre-pandemic levels.

The study, successful business pinch Public Health Scotland, was conducted arsenic portion of nan wider Covid -19 Health Impact connected semipermanent Child Development successful Scotland (CHILDS) study. Both this study and nan wider CHILDS study were funded by nan UKRI Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Covid-19 nationalist wellness and societal measures played a captious domiciled successful curbing nan dispersed of infections during nan pandemic. However, nan findings of our study propose that they besides look to person been associated pinch accrued early puerility improvement concerns."

Dr. Iain Hardie, Researcher, University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

Principal interrogator and originator of nan CHILDS study Professor Bonnie Auyeung, of nan University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, said: "It has been a privilege to activity pinch our partners successful Public Health Scotland connected this research. With its integrated healthcare system, Scotland is good positioned to alteration this benignant of organization level study, and it is breathtaking to spot our activity being published successful The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. We dream this activity will thief pass nan chat astir really champion to support children from nan Covid-19 era arsenic they create complete nan coming years."

The squad added that though nan study provides grounds of an relation betwixt lockdown measures and developmental concerns successful young children, it is important to statement that nan power of different factors occurring astatine nan aforesaid clip cannot beryllium ruled out.

The study is published successful The Lancet Regional Health – Europe 2025.Link to study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(25)00317-5/fulltext [URL will go progressive aft embargo lifts]. DOI 10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101525.

The investigation squad besides included scientists from Public Health Scotland, nan University of Dundee, nan University of Sheffield and nan Istituto Italiano di Technologia successful Italy.

CHILDS builds upon nan erstwhile Covid-19 successful Pregnancy successful Scotland (COPS) study which examined nan effects of nan SARS- CoV-2 infections and Covid-19 vaccinations to nan constituent of commencement and nan newborn period. CHILDS examines consequent wellness and developmental outcomes successful children during their early puerility period.