COVID-19: Children's speech and language skills 'impacted by lockdowns'

The Coronavirus lockdowns have harmed young children’s speech and language skills, new research has found.

Data from 50,000 pupils and a survey of schools showed an increased number of four and five-year-olds needing help with the language.

Research by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) found that of 58 primary schools surveyed, 76 per cent said pupils starting school in September 2020 needed more support with communication than in previous years, and 96 per cent were concerned about pupils’ speech and language development.

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The majority of parents were also worried about their child starting school, with 56% saying they were concerned about their child going back to the classroom following the lockdowns in the spring and summer.

Problems with communication can limit young children, particularly if they are unable to express themselves, interact with peers and make themselves understood.

Meanwhile, the overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 147.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.11 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 147,533,386 and 3,116,582, respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 32,123,535 and 572,666, respectively, according to the CSSE.

In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 17,313,163 cases.

The other countries with more than two million confirmed coronavirus cases are Brazil (14,369,423), France (5,565,080), Russia (4,717,321), Turkey (4,667,281), the UK (4,422,562), Italy (3,971,114), Spain (3,488,469), Germany (3,312,653), Argentina (2,879,677), Colombia (2,787,303), Poland (2,762,323), Iran (2,417,230) and Mexico (2,328,391), the CSSE figures showed.

(With inputs from agencies)