Scientists from Brown University in Rhode Island have found that Children born during the Covid pandemic may have lower IQs. According to the research, babies born since March 2020 have worse cognitive, verbal and motor skills than children who entered the world before coronavirus and it maybe due to reduced interactions during lockdowns.
Average IQs for children aged three months to three years old dropped from around 100 in the decade before the pandemic to 79 during the pandemic. The research adds that the drop in IQ was worse in boys and those from poorer backgrounds, scientists said.
Lockdowns have meant children have significantly less interaction with the outside world, leading to ‘shockingly’ low cognitive development. Whether or not the fall in development will affect children in later life is uncertain, the researchers said. Babies’ brains are more malleable than adults and it is likely they will be able to recover.
Paediatrician Dr Sean Deoni, lead author of the study, said the drop-off in IQ scores was significant.