Covid-19: Djeca rođena tijekom pandemije postižu niže rezultate na kognitivnim testovima, otkriva studija
Djeca rođena tijekom pandemije imaju izrazito niže rezultate prema standardnim mjerama verbalnih, motoričkih i ukupnih kognitivnih sposobnosti, otkrili su američki istraživači. U longitudinalnom istraživanju 672 djece s Rhode Islanda koje se provodi od 2011. godine, oni rođeni nakon početka pandemije pokazali su rezultate na Mullenovoj ljestvici ranog učenja koji odgovaraju prosječnom IQ rezultatu od 78, što je pad od 22 boda u odnosu na prosjek prethodne kohorte. Istraživači su uglavnom isključili izravan učinak virusa, jer su majke ili djeca s poviješću pozitivnih testova na covid-19 isključeni iz analize. Umjesto toga, kažu autori, smanjena interakcija s roditeljima i manje vježbe na otvorenom vjerojatno su krivci, zajedno s učincima koji su se dogodili tijekom trudnoće. Rezultati među djecom rođenom tijekom pandemije počeli su padati 2020. godine u kombinaciji ranog učenja koja je mjerila kontrolu fine i grube motorike, vizualnu recepciju te ekspresivni i receptivni jezik. No tek je 2021. razvojni deficit postao značajan. Učinak je bio izrazitiji kod dječaka nego kod djevojčica.
Covid-19: Children born during the pandemic score lower on cognitive tests, study finds
Children born during the pandemic score markedly lower on standard measures of verbal, motor, and overall cognitive ability, US researchers have found. In a longitudinal study of 672 children from Rhode Island that has run since 2011, those born after the pandemic began showed results on the Mullen scales of early learning that corresponded to an average IQ score of 78, a drop of 22 points from the average of previous cohorts. The researchers have largely ruled out a direct effect of the virus, as mothers or children with a history of testing positive for covid-19 were excluded from the analysis. Instead, the authors say, reduced interaction with parents and less outdoor exercise are likely culprits, along with effects that occurred during pregnancy. Scores among children born during the pandemic began to decline in 2020 in an early learning composite that measured fine and gross motor control, visual reception, and expressive and receptive language. But it was in 2021 that the developmental deficit became significant (P<0.001). The effect was larger in boys than in girls.
BMJ 2021; 374 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2031 (Published 16 August 2021)
