A pandemia de COVID-19 e suas possíveis consequências para o desenvolvimento e atraso da linguagem e da fala em crianças: uma questão urgente

Abstract

Children have been one of the most disrupted social groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their daily routines, including social, scholar, and family environments have been profoundly disturbed and may have unintentional consequences on children development and well-being. While schools are currently returning to semi/hybrid “in person” activities in our country, there are several concerns regarding how the covid-19 pandemic may impact children development in the short and long term. Language and speech development usually occurs during early childhood in a gradual acquisition of receptive and expressive skills. Therefore, even though school closures, social distancing, and the widespread use of masks may adversely impact language development, their specific effect has not yet been widely accessed. Just a few days ago, a preprint of a longitudinal study of children born during the pandemic period have showed preliminary evidence of reduced verbal performance compared to pre pandemic born children. Thus, there is an urgent need for more studies addressing this issue to better understand the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in childhood language and speech development. In this context, speech therapists will most certainly play a central role in the prevention and therapeutic approach of language delay. Along with parents and teachers, they must be attentive for this possibility specially in toddlers.