COVID-19 and Neurodevelopmental Delays in Early Childhood:A Longitudinal Analysis of Developmental Outcomes in Korean Children

Author: Youn Young CHOI ¹ ; Kyung-Shin LEE ; Seul Gi PARK ; You Sun KIM ; Jeehye LEE ; Ho Kyung SUNG ; Myoung-hee KIM
Author Information

1. Public Health Research Institute, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
Publication Type:Brief Communication
From:Journal of Korean Medical Science 2024;39(31):e243-
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: This study employed a longitudinal analysis to evaluate the association between the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and neurodevelopment by analyzing over 1.8 million children from the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants and Children included in South Korea’s National Health Screening Program. We compared the developmental outcomes in five age groups—9–17 months, 18–29 months, 30–41 months, 42–53 months, and 54–65 months—between the pre-pandemic (2018–2019) and pandemic (2020–2021) periods. Significant increases in potential developmental delays were observed during the pandemic in communication, cognitive, social interaction, self-care, and fine motor skills across most age groups. All five age groups experienced notable disruptions in communication and fine motor skills. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds faced higher risks across all domains. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and continuous monitoring to support the developmental needs of children affected by pandemic-related disruptions.