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Critical Analysis of Child Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Alexandra Malatesta

501020459

CLD 103 – 011

Ryerson University

Professor Patel

March 22nd, 2021

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1a) According to Martorell and Kruk, physical development encompasses the growth of the

body, brain, sensory capabilities, motor skills, and health. Cognitive development includes

memory, language, thinking, reasoning and creativity fall under cognitive development.

Emotions, personality, and social relationships are characteristics of psychosocial development

(Martorell & Kruk, 2014). Online learning and lockdown placed challenges on children and

youth to participate in organized sports or physical activities subsequently having to embrace

somewhat sedentary behavior (Bates, et al., 2020). With children exercising less concerns over

the development of motor skills, bone density and emotional/psychological health became

worrisome. Inactivity along with irregular sleep patterns can impact growth hormones produced

during the night (Buheji, et al., 2020).

1b) Stress could have long-term effects on the brain along with taxing situations that can

suppress brain development of cognitive skills considered as “executive functioning” which

compromise focused attention, self-control, flexible thinking, and working memory. Failure in

developing these executive functioning skills in childhood can impact future brain development

into adulthood (Takabori, 2020). Children from immigrant families, where English is a second

language would receive less support at home to complete schoolwork, thus increasing learning

gaps. School closures impacted younger children more than older children as their ability to self-

regulate online learning is less developed in that they would require greater support from parents

(Tomasik, et al., 2020). Also, being out of the classroom would facilitate less of a competitive

environment in motivating children in doing their best (Gupta & Jawanda, 2020). Online

audiobooks and other digital platforms provided extra resources and means to enrich lessons and

learning.
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1c) Lockdown measures allowed families to reconnect and engage in meaningful conversations

due to uninterpreted day-to-day distractions. In a survey, 67 percent of youth reported partaking

in more meaningful conversations during lockdown with their families than they had prior to

lockdown (Ng & Badets, 2020). Children also benefited from consistent practices such as eating

dinner as a family and having time devoted to reading, playing board games, baking, and

completing puzzles. Dr. Anthea Rhodes, a pediatrician, explained that caregivers who engaged in

reading activities, playing games, cooking, baking, and exercising with their children helped to

create positive bonds and that these events promoted physical and mental health benefits (Life

Education, 2020). It is believed that children who experience quarantine have higher degrees of

risk associated with psychiatric disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, mood disorders,

psychoses, and even suicide. Children whose caregivers are frontline workers needed time to

adapt to alternative childcare arrangements requiring extra support or guidance in adjusting. Data

suggests considerable emotional impacts due to quarantine life in that 76.6 percent reported

experiencing difficulty with attention and 31.3 percent were lonely (Buheji, et al., 2020). School

closure and isolation created feelings of fear and increased anxiety among children (Imran, et al.,

2020). Parents shifted their attention from academics to consider the need for friendships and

social experiences in their children’s lives. During the lockdown, families became disconnected

from support systems such as extended families, childcare programs, religious groups, the

church, and other community organizations that provided emotional and social support. There

was also a rise in domestic violence, escalating concern in regard to risks to children’s mental

health and wellbeing. Parents were apprehensive over the number of time children were spending

on screens that could contribute to increased cyberbullying, sleep disturbances, and sleep

routines (Ng & Badets, 2020).

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2a) Attending preschool is important in extending a child’s physical, cognitive and social

interactions and promoting emergent literacy skills. School-age children benefit from activities

such as recess that contribute to growth in agility, social competence, adjustment to school, and

cognitive performance. Adolescents who have the opportunity to develop supportive connections

with parents, school, and community tend to grow in a positive manner (Matorell & Kruk, 2014).

With increased parental stress, young children may begin to display oppositional defiant

behaviors and temper tantrums, while others could regress in becoming fussier and struggle to

focus or engage in play. Some children could display signs of aggression, thumb sucking,

toileting accidents, or become clingier (Imran, et al., 2020). With childcare centers closed, young

children may find it difficult to develop social skills, problem-solving and behavioral

expectations (Lindberg, 2020). Also, given that children are home they might not be getting the

cognitive or social stimulation provided by early childcare centers, especially for those children

whose parents do not speak English or fail to provide enriched opportunities for their child.

Preschool children also lost daily routines that childcare centers provided such as sitting in a

circle, waiting one’s turn, understanding when to listen and cooperate.

2b) Children experienced disappointments from missing out on birthday parties, school plays,

dances, competitions, and hanging out with friends and relatives because of COVID-19

restrictions. The elementary years is a time when children become more independent and begin

to understand the connection between actions and consequences through interaction with peers,

refinement of social skills (Lindberg, 2020). Online learning created a panic in that children

could easily lose confidence given that it was difficult for educators to provide individualized,

personal support or feedback. Chunking or reinforcement of lessons was not always available

and children could begin to struggle with math problems or projects increasing negative
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assumptions regarding their ability (Stringer, 2020). Grade three is a crucial transitional period

for children and missing out on the foundational skills not been mastered can further increase

risks of academic inequalities (Rafanelli, 2021).

2c) Adolescents have been spending more time on social media platforms, texting or video

chatting between one or two hours daily. In a Canadian study it was noted that teens increased

their screen time during the pandemic contributing to greater anxiety or depression (Ellis, et al.,

2020). Many disappointments resulted from the lockdown including missed graduations, proms,

concerts and sporting events. There were limitations regarding the possibility of growing

independence founded through connection with peers, thus impacting their wellbeing (Buheji, et

al., 2020). There were also major disruptions to post-secondary students with 57 percent reported

that either academic work placements or courses were cancelled, postponed or delayed. There

was another 11 percent that reported not completing their degree with 10 percent not being able

to complete winter courses. Students were also faced with labour disruptions and unable to

secure employment that would generate income for tuition and other personal expenses. Many

students discussed fears of being unemployed and not having adequate income to support their

studies or themselves. As university and college students prepared for exams this pandemic

contributed to the increase of academic misconduct. Shifting to online learning made it easier to

cheat in accessing apps such as Photo math and Chegg that enabled students to scan math

problems that gave step by step algorithm in solving them (Rickers, 2021).
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References

Bates, L. C., Zieff, G., Stanford, K., Moore, J. B., Kerr, Z. Y., Hanson , E. D., … Stoner, L.

(2020). COVID-19 Impact on Behaviors across the 24-Hour Day in Children and

Adolescents: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep. MDPI , 7(9), 1–9.

https://doi.org/10.3390/children7090138 

Buheji, M., Hassani, A., Ebrahim, A., da Costa Cunha, K., Jahrami, H., Baloshi, M., & Hubail,

S. (2020). Children and Coping During COVID-19: A Scoping Review of Bio-Psycho-

Social Factors. International Journal of Applied Psychology, 10(1), 8–15.

https://doi.org/10.5923/j.ijap.20201001.02 

Ellis , W. E., Dumas, T. M., & Forbes , L. M. (2020). Physically Isolated but Socially

Connected: Psychological Adjustment and Stress Among Adolescents During the Initial

COVID-19 Crisis. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science  , 52(3), 177–187.

https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000215 

Families find the positives in COVID-19 challenges. Life Education - Celebrating 40 Years.

(2020, September 11). https://www.lifeeducation.org.au/news/family-positives-covid19. 

Gupta, S., & Jawanda, M. K. (2020). The impacts of COVID‐19 on children. Acta

Paediatrica, 109(11), 2181–2183. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15484 

Imran, N., Zeshan, M., & Pervaiz, Z. (2020, May). Mental health considerations for children &

adolescents in COVID-19 Pandemic. Pakistan journal of medical sciences.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7306970/. 
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Lindberg, S. (2020, August 2). Impact of Isolation on Childhood Development. Verywell

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Martorell, G., & Kruk, R. (2014). Child: from birth to adolescence. Canadian Edition. Toronto,

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Ng, E., & Badets , N. (2020, August 27). COVID-19 IMPACTS: Youth Well-being in Canada.

The Vanier Institute of the Family / L'Institut Vanier de la famille.

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Stringer , H. (2020, October 13). Zoom school's mental health toll on kids. American

Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/10/online-learning-mental-

health. 

Takabori , A. (2020, September 1). Children's Brain Development in the Time of COVID-19.

Scientific Learning. https://www.scilearn.com/brain-development-covid-19/. 

Tomasik, M. J., Helbling, L. A., & Moser, U. (2020). Educational gains of in‐person vs. distance

learning in primary and secondary schools: A natural experiment during the COVID-19

pandemic school closures in Switzerland. International Journal of Psychology, 1–11.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12728 

Rafanelli, A. (2021, January 19). Growing Up in a Pandemic: How Covid is Affecting Children's

Development. Direct Relief. https://www.directrelief.org/2021/01/growing-up-in-the-

midst-of-a-pandemic-how-covid-is-affecting-childrens-development/. 
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Rickers, D. (2021, February 4). Academic integrity at risk in the age of COVID. The Voice of

Pelham. https://thevoiceofpelham.ca/2021/02/04/academic-integrity-at-risk-in-the-age-of-

covid/.