Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 4, 2026

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children
07:01

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Published on: March 1, 2019

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Disrupted beginnings: Neurodevelopmental outcomes of COVID-19 lockdowns in early childhood (Review)

Ioanna Giannopoulou1, Vasiliki Efstathiou2, Maria-Ioanna Stefanou3,4

  • 1Second Department of Psychiatry, 'Attikon' University General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
|April 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted early childhood development, increasing emotional and behavioral issues, especially for vulnerable children. Targeted support for caregivers and early education is crucial.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Early childhood development relies on routines, social interaction, and caregiving.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted these essential supports through lockdowns and increased caregiver stress.
  • Children aged 0-5 years were particularly vulnerable to these disruptions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize empirical studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood development.
  • To identify specific areas of development affected by pandemic-related disruptions.
  • To explore biological and environmental factors influencing developmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025.
  • Focus on children aged 0-5 years.
  • Analysis of emotional, behavioral, cognitive, language, and executive function (EF) outcomes, alongside biological markers.

Main Results:

  • Consistent evidence of modest increases in emotional and behavioral difficulties, especially in high-adversity contexts.
  • Heterogeneous effects on cognitive, language, and EF outcomes, linked to reduced stimulation and early learning access.
  • EF processes showed particular sensitivity to stress and environmental disruptions.
  • Preliminary biological findings (cortisol, DNA methylation, brain measures) indicated converging signals in higher-risk contexts.

Conclusions:

  • Pandemic disruptions disproportionately affected children in vulnerable family contexts.
  • Targeted caregiver mental health support is recommended.
  • Preserving early education access during emergencies and longitudinal follow-up of high-risk cohorts are suggested.

Keywords:
2019 coronavirus diseasecaregiver stresscortisolearly childhoodepigeneticsexecutive functionlockdownneurodevelopmentpreschoolsocioemotional

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