A close look at COVID-19 on infant development

The January/February 2023 Special Issue of Infancy – ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Infant Development’ – brings together 10 papers about the pandemic’s effect on the youngest members of society.

While location and situation data differed, some consistent, encouraging themes emerged. One, according to the editors, is that “infants appear resilient to many of the direct effects of the pandemic on cognitive and socioemotional development”.

FLRF is a proud supporter of this paper: ‘Infant regulation during the pandemic: Associations with maternal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, well-being, and socio-emotional investment’, co-authored by Professor and Dr. of Medicine Giancarlo Natalucci, Director of the Larsson-Rosenquist Centre for Neurodevelopment, Growth and Nutrition of the Newborn, Department of Neonatology, University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich.

Mothers reported five pandemic responses (social distancing, worrying about the child, birth anxiety, distancing from the child, and information on COVID-19-related parenting behavior and support) had an impact on their infants. The authors suggest better information and support about parenting during the pandemic might buffer the effects.  

Read all the details here.

Interested in keeping current on this and related news? Sign up for our newsletter!