The pandemic has taken a huge toll on people’s health mentally and physically across the globe, and among all age groups.
It is particularly worrying for the younger ones as the first years in life are important for their long-term health, development and wellbeing.
With the pandemic, are our children getting that stimulation they need to develop accordingly?
TRP speaks to Xin Yee, an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Therapist at Fit In Child Development Centre to discuss the impact of child development in this day and age of a pandemic.
One of the common issues children face during the pandemic begins with their parents.
The more time spent with children at home has made parents notice developmental delays in their child which has seen an increase in the number of parents signing up their children for screening and assessment post-pandemic.
According to Yee, the first issue is that children rely on their parents to support their daily tasks and to regulate their emotional processes – that is their ability to manage and respond to an emotional experience.
Because of the pandemic, children may receive inconsistent or less support because of parents’ increased responsibilities.
The second issue is that children may need support in dealing with anxiety caused by the sudden change in the environment which could lead to increased behavioural and emotional problems.
The third issue Yee points out is that children may have trouble understanding the complexity of the pandemic and accept the change in daily life due to their limited cognitive abilities – this leads to a perceived lack of control and insecurity.
Yee says studies show that there are long-lasting negative impacts on a child’s social and emotional well-being, including elevated levels of anxiety, worry and distress in children. The unprecedented changes in lifestyle due to the pandemic may also lead to an increase in domestic conflict and limitations in physical activity. The latter is quite detrimental to a child’s development as it suggests longer screen time, unsteady sleeping patterns, and less healthy eating habits.
Screen time: good or bad? Raise your hand if you’re a parent that has knowingly given your child a tablet or phone to keep them busy for a few hours just so you can get some work done.While Yee doesn’t encourage long screen time. she did indicate research showing interactive media helping children 2 years and older to retain information.However, children of the age 2 and younger are unlikely to learn from screen time as they will have trouble distinguishing what they watch on screen from everyday reality.This in […]