Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child Development: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the possibilities of generating stimulating spaces for children’s development, as all the systems with which a child interacts during this phase were affected. Objective: To identify the existing scientific evidence about the effects on child development in children aged less than 5 years old that were living with their parents while the social distancing measures adopted due to COVID-19 were in force. Method: An integrative review guided by the framework proposed by Whittemore and Knafl and the PRISMA statement, to consult the following databases: Medline, ScienceDirect, Scopus and SciELO, with a search performed in English using these descriptors: “child development,” “growth and development,” “parenting,” “teleworking,” “infant care,” “home nursing,” “social isolation,” “coronavirus infections,” and “COVID-19.” The eligibility criteria were as follows: quantitative or qualitative studies that addressed the direct effects of the pandemic on children aged less than 5 years old; in turn, the exclusion criteria corresponded to articles with a population comprised of children with diagnosed developmental disorders or disabilities. Results: A total of 17 articles were included, whose findings were classified into the following categories: Exposure to risk stimuli, Deprivation of stimuli, and Exposure to protective stimuli. It is revealed that parental stress, absence of games and lower exposure to interactions that promote development are connected to changes in cognitive, emotional, and learning processing, in addition to exerting a negative impact on motor and language development. Conclusion: The evidence suggests that social distancing can be the main cause for the onset of delays in child development, in its motor, language, cognitive, and socioemotional areas.