A Response to Headlines about Pandemic Babies and Developmental Delays — Let’s not catastrophize.
My daughter was born in 2020, and two years in, I’m soon to be a mother to not one but two humans born during the pandemic. Of course, the recent news headlines stating that babies born during the pandemic show developmental delays alarmed me as a parent. We tend to assume the worst in times of uncertainty.
At the same time, my panicking would not help my children. I was curious about the primary source of news. The original study by Shuffrey et al (2022) is linked here. As a psychologist, I was interested in several things: the methodology (what information was collected, how it was collected, and from whom), statistical analyses (what was compared), results and implications (what can be inferred from the numbers), and how that information fit with the larger context of established knowledge about early childhood development.
By taking a closer look at the evidence, I hope to gain clarity. This clarity can be calming and help me form more rational conclusions.
Brief summary of the study behind the headlines
Parents of infants born at Columbia University Irving Medical Center–affiliated NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital or NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Pavilion Hospital completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ-3). Responses from three different groups were compared: (1) parents of infants born prior to the pandemic, (2) parents of infants born during the pandemic and were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy, and (3) parents of infants born during the pandemic and were not exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.
There were no significant differences between responses of parents with infants who were exposed to versus not exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. However, parents of infants born during the pandemic provided responses resulting in lower scores than those provided by parents of infants born before the pandemic. The lower scores were seen in fine and gross motor skills, and the personal-social domains.
My takeaways based on the information from the study
The ASQ-3 is based on parental report as opposed to objective observations by researchers. Being based on parent report does not mean that the ASQ-3 was not an appropriate measure (it has been established to be sufficiently sensitive, specific, valid, and useful in determining whether further assessment or intervention is necessary), and its use is still informative. The responses to the screener show parents of infants born during the pandemic may have perceived their infants differently.
Readers of the news headlines should also note that the ASQ-3 was not used to diagnose specific developmental delays in the context of the study. The ASQ-3 is a screener, which is different from a medical diagnostic test with conclusive results or a complete psychoeducational assessment. The study did not state that the lower scores for infants born during the pandemic were indicative of actual developmental delays. Instead, the results only show that based on parental perception, 17% of the infants born during the pandemic had scores low enough to warrant further assessment as compared to 11% of infants born prior to the pandemic. At the same time, the statistical results tells us that there was a difference between groups, but analyses did not include effect size which means we do not know how large the differences were between groups.
Hence, the results from the study only show that parents of 6 month old infants born during the pandemic tended to rate their infants lower on items relating to motor and social skills compared to parents of infants born before the pandemic. There are many possible reasons for this difference, some of which the authors have acknowledged. There may be actual developmental differences between infants, or parenting during the pandemic may be more anxiety laden leading to to more negative perceptions of development. There was insufficient information gathered in this study to determine an explanation or to tell us how large the differences were between groups.
My takeaways when considering the larger knowledge base of child development
The authors themselves state, “We want parents to know that the findings in our small study do not necessarily mean that this generation will be impaired later in life”. They are correct, and here are reasons for us to stay calm. These reasons demonstrate the distance between our current situation and the worst case scenario.
- News headlines tend to be provocative. The truth is, children develop at varying paces and in different styles. The range of “normal" development is very wide.
- The authors acknowledge the limitations of the study where the data collected was from one instance in time, from one specific geographic location. Many studies have demonstrated that development of children can be affected by where they grow up, depending whether the environment is rural or urban, exposure to environmental pollutants, or socioeconomic demographics of the region, just to name a few factors. The authors are saying that their findings do not mean that all children born during the pandemic will have developmental delays.
- Developmental trajectories are dynamic. This means that one screener score at 6 months does not determine a child’s potential. Caregivers remain highly influential regardless of geographic location or exposure to other environmental factors. Further, even if childhood development was negatively affected by the pandemic, it does not mean that a child’s growth is permanently stunted. Children can recover from traumatic events. Our parenting/caregiving will look different in these times, but the actions we take can still benefit our children.
Conclusion
The possible interpretations gleaned from the results are indeed worrying and definitely important for policy makers to keep in mind as we navigate our way through large scale solutions to problems caused by the pandemic. However, while some children may experience certain difficulties later on, it is not time to panic yet. Our children are still young and their development is malleable.
Constructive feedback is welcome, please comment to let me know what you think!
I also encourage anyone struggling with the trials, triumphs, and changes that emerge with early parenthood to seek consultation with a professional.
Resources for perinatal and postpartum depression:
Paternal depression and anxiety are real too. Resources for fathers:
This essay is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment specific to you. Seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with questions regarding your own condition. Do not disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.
