The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Objectives: The study aimed to assess and compare the global development in six-month-old infants before and during the pandemic restrictive social distancing measures.Methods: This cross-sectional nested study involved infants assessed through the Griffiths Scales of Child Development (GSCD) betwee...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604804/full |
| _version_ | 1828325733767839744 |
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| author | Eleonora Ferrari Lucia Palandri Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Giovanna Talucci Giovanna Talucci Erica Passini Viola Trevisani Elena Righi |
| author_facet | Eleonora Ferrari Lucia Palandri Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Giovanna Talucci Giovanna Talucci Erica Passini Viola Trevisani Elena Righi |
| author_sort | Eleonora Ferrari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The study aimed to assess and compare the global development in six-month-old infants before and during the pandemic restrictive social distancing measures.Methods: This cross-sectional nested study involved infants assessed through the Griffiths Scales of Child Development (GSCD) between September 2019 and April 2021. Infants were classified in a pre-COVID or a COVID group, considering the evaluation date and the restrictive measures in place. GSCD subscales and General Development Scores (GDS) were calculated and compared.Results: One hundred and four healthy term-born infants were evaluated. GDS in the COVID group (n:70; median: 94; IQR: 90–100) appeared significantly lower than in the pre-COVID group (n:34; median: 98; IQR: 97–103; p < 0.001). Language and personal-social-emotional subareas scores appeared the most affected. A decreasing trend of GDS along with the severity of restriction was observed.Conclusion: A reduction in infant development scores was observed during pandemic social distancing. Further studies are needed to systematize these findings and to address effective public health policies for infants and families during long-term forced isolation periods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:27:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0661be829618467c859334afb9aea23e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-8564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:27:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0661be829618467c859334afb9aea23e2022-12-22T02:33:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642022-06-016710.3389/ijph.2022.16048041604804The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional StudyEleonora Ferrari0Lucia Palandri1Laura Lucaccioni2Laura Lucaccioni3Laura Lucaccioni4Giovanna Talucci5Giovanna Talucci6Erica Passini7Viola Trevisani8Elena Righi9Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyPediatric Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, Postgraduate School of Pediatrics, University of Modena and Reggio Emili, Modena, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyPediatric Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, Postgraduate School of Pediatrics, University of Modena and Reggio Emili, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, Postgraduate School of Pediatrics, University of Modena and Reggio Emili, Modena, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ItalyObjectives: The study aimed to assess and compare the global development in six-month-old infants before and during the pandemic restrictive social distancing measures.Methods: This cross-sectional nested study involved infants assessed through the Griffiths Scales of Child Development (GSCD) between September 2019 and April 2021. Infants were classified in a pre-COVID or a COVID group, considering the evaluation date and the restrictive measures in place. GSCD subscales and General Development Scores (GDS) were calculated and compared.Results: One hundred and four healthy term-born infants were evaluated. GDS in the COVID group (n:70; median: 94; IQR: 90–100) appeared significantly lower than in the pre-COVID group (n:34; median: 98; IQR: 97–103; p < 0.001). Language and personal-social-emotional subareas scores appeared the most affected. A decreasing trend of GDS along with the severity of restriction was observed.Conclusion: A reduction in infant development scores was observed during pandemic social distancing. Further studies are needed to systematize these findings and to address effective public health policies for infants and families during long-term forced isolation periods.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604804/fullpublic healthSARS-CoV-2infantGriffiths development scaleschild developmentmental processes |
| spellingShingle | Eleonora Ferrari Lucia Palandri Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Laura Lucaccioni Giovanna Talucci Giovanna Talucci Erica Passini Viola Trevisani Elena Righi The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study International Journal of Public Health public health SARS-CoV-2 infant Griffiths development scales child development mental processes |
| title | The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | The Kids Are Alright (?). Infants’ Development and COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | kids are alright infants development and covid 19 pandemic a cross sectional study |
| topic | public health SARS-CoV-2 infant Griffiths development scales child development mental processes |
| url | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604804/full |
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