Assessing the impact of lockdowns on children’s language and cognitive skills

Researchers have launched a new project looking at the effects of COVID lockdowns on children’s talking and thinking skills.

Led by Professors Nicola Botting and Lucy Henry from the Centre for Language and Communication Science Research at City St George’s, University of London (City St George’s), the findings from the three-year BICYCLE (Born In Covid Year – Core Lockdown Effects) project will inform necessary support strategies for affected children and provide important insights into the long-term effects of the pandemic on early childhood development.

Babies born in the Spring and early Summer of 2020 experienced unprecedented disruption to their first social and communicative experiences, and there is already some evidence that these children are learning words more slowly. There is an urgent need to know more given this cohort is starting school in September this year.

Professor Nicola Botting said:

“We know that the first five years of life are crucial for the development of children’s talking and thinking skills, largely influenced by early experiences. In 2020, children in England faced unique challenges due to COVID lockdowns, potentially impacting these developmental areas.

“This research study aims to explore the effects of lockdowns on language and thinking skills as children reach school-entry age, comparing groups born before, during and after lockdowns. The findings will inform necessary support strategies for affected children, contributing valuable insights into the pandemic’s long-term effects on early childhood development.”

The research team hope that comparisons between the three groups – children born before, during and after lockdowns – using fun and accessible games, as well as caregiver questionnaires, will reveal whether children born-in-lockdown have different talking and thinking skills compared to children born-after-lockdown or children born-before-lockdown. The study will also deliver new knowledge about how social isolation affects language and cognition, and about the long-term effects of the lockdowns.

Professor Lucy Henry said:

“One of the most important effects of lockdown could have been on early social interactions between babies, parents and other adults. These interactions are very important for the development of talking and thinking, but not everyone experienced lockdown in the same way.

“It is very important that we do this research now. Otherwise, we will never know how the COVID lockdowns affected talking and thinking skills in young children. We urgently need to learn more about this area to inform our support for these children through their school years.”

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ Head of Research and Outcomes Amit Kulkarni said:

“Communication skills are crucial for a range of life outcomes including academic achievement, employment prospects, and much more, which is why I’m delighted to see this important research being funded and carried out.

“Language and communication development starts in the womb and explodes over the first few years of life. Early interactions are central to this and what we do not yet confidently know is how lockdowns affected the interactions of children born at this time. This research will provide valuable insight into this area, helping us understand any potential impact on the communication development of children born at this unprecedented time.”