Children Born During Covid-19 Pandemic Found To Have Lower IQs, Reveals Latest Study

The mean IQ score for children aged between three months and three years of age was around 100, but the analysis among children born during the pandemic showed the numbering dwindling to 78.

A kid stacking colourful building blocks and shapes | Getty Images

New Delhi:  Even as the Covid-19 pandemic has been slightly lenient on kids, there is the latest study that pointed out that children born during the Covid-19 pandemic have significantly reduced verbal, motor, and overall cognitive performance compared to children born pre-pandemic.

As per the US study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, males and children in lower socioeconomic families have been most affected.

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What are the findings?

Even if you don’t count the direct SARS-CoV-2 infection, the environmental changes linked to the pandemic are significantly and negatively impacting infant and child development, as per the report quoted in publication Mint. The study found that before the pandemic, the mean IQ score on standardised tests for children aged between three months and three years of age was around 100, but the analysis among children born during the pandemic showed the numbering dwindling to 78.

The study was conducted among 672 children from the state of Rhode Island. Of these, 188 were born after July 2020, and 308 were born prior to January 2019, whereas 176 were born between January 2019 and March 2020. Only those children were included in the study, who were born full-term with no developmental disabilities.

As per the lead study author Sean Deoni, associate professor of pediatrics (research) at Brown University it is the lack of stimulation and interaction at home that caused the low scores. It has been noticed that parents, who didn’t face furlough or employment loss and continued working from home, found difficulties as a result of the dual role of childcare and work leading to stress and anxiety. Those families who had to endure job loss may experience greater stress, depression, anxiety, as well as food and housing insecurity.

However, the data didn’t throw any light on whether the impairments are temporary and will normalise as employment and school closures restrictions are lifted and children return to pre-pandemic times where they can play and interact like before. Also, financial insecurity and mental health challenges will subside with the restrictions being lifted.