Bad News: This pandemic has left us with a generation of babies and toddlers struggling with speech and social skills

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

You notice that something has been different with your child; their behaviour has changed in the last two years, or something just may seem off about their behaviour. When speaking to them, you notice that they cannot maintain eye contact, or they just stare at you. If they have siblings, you notice they may not be able to communicate how they feel, so yelling, temper tantrums, inappropriate behaviour, have become the norm.

They seem disengaged, their noses planted in their Ipad. Outings like birthday parties, or social events are no longer of interest.

Then you receive your child’s report card, and that tells a similar tale. Your child’s teacher reports that they are unable to take turns when talking to classmates. They seem to struggle with using appropriate body language (e.g. stands too close/far to another person). Apparently, your child is misinterpreting verbal and written instructions that they are given, and struggle with imaginative writing.

It’s a lot!  I can only imagine. As parents, all you want is what is best for them, and this is why it is important that you read this article with an open mind. Forgo all outside and focus on what is more important; your child.

The pandemic after noise is loud, damaging and deafening. More is coming to light about the negative impact of the pandemic on children’s personal, social and emotional development.

In a report published on the UK Government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strong-signs-of-recovery-across-education-but-challenges-remain), research was conducted that finds that the pandemic has continued to affect young children’s communication and language development. Notably, the report speaks on the fact that babies have struggled to respond to basic facial expressions, which may be due to reduced social interaction during the pandemic. There were other delays including learning how to crawl and walk. It was reported that children had regressed in their independence and self-care skills. As a result, several have increased the amount of time children spend on physical activities, to develop gross motor skills.

Children’s social and friendship-building skills have also been affected. Childcare providers in the UK have reported that toddlers and pre-schoolers needed more support with sharing and turn taking. They addressed this by providing as many opportunities as possible for children to mix with others and build confidence in social situations.

What about in school learning?
There have been noted delays in learning, and some children had regressed to a stage where they needed help with basic tasks such as putting on their coats and blowing their noses.

A study out of Germany found that the reading ability of children has plummeted compared to pre-COVID times. They credit this to lockdown policies that led to the closure of schools.

Another scary fact, which I intended on research, is the surge in symptoms of autism.

As a parent, how can you combat these damaging effects?
Depending on the age, and level of development, it is wise to speak with your doctor to see if you can have your child seen by a specialist, or child psychologist. That list might be long, so in the meantime, here are some activities you can try at home.

• Speak clearly to your child, and model good speech. This will require you wearing the mask less so that they can see your mouth. Do what makes you feel safe in whatever situation you are in, but it is important that they see your mouth forming sound.
• Repeat what your child says to show that you understand. Add on to what she says. Use phrases like, “You are hungry? I have food if you are hungry. I have one of your snacks. Do you want one of your snacks?”
• It’s okay to use baby talk sometimes. Be sure to use the adult word too. For example, “It is time for pee-pee. We will go to the washroom now.”
• Help your child learn new words. Name body parts, and talk about what you do with them. “This is my nose. I can smell flowers, I can smell poo-poo (yuck), and soap.”
• Sing simple songs, and say nursery rhymes. This helps your child learn the rhythm of speech.
• Watch movies together on TV or a tablet. Talk about what your child is watching. Have him/her guess what might happen next. Talk about the characters. Are they happy or sad? Ask him/her to tell you what happened in the story. Act out a scene together, or make up a different ending.
• Use everyday tasks to learn language.  Ask him/her to put the napkin on the table, in your lap, or under the spoon. Talk about whom the napkin belongs to. Say, “It is my napkin.” “It is Daddy’s.” “It is Keisha’s”
• Go grocery shopping together. Talk about what you will buy, how many things you need, and what you will make. Talk about sizes, shapes, and weight.

We must no longer deny what is coming to light; lockdown restrictions, and adults wearing masks all the time, has left us with a generation of babies and toddlers struggling with speech and social skills.