PANDEMIC IMPACTS OF SCHOOL CLOSURES AND CONFINEMENT ON CHILD PSYCHOSOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Introduction: In 2019, a new virus emerged in the East that is part of a family of pathogens and causes of respiratory infections. Thus, in Brazil, in the first half of April, almost 2,000 deaths were registered, and as the months went by, this number increased exponentially. The lockdown had repercussions on child health and development in general. The potential risks in children are in losses to brain development, individual and collective health, in addition to long-term impairment of mental and physical cognition. Objective: To determine the impacts caused on the development of children in the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the period before that. Methodology: Based on specific descriptors related to the topic, which were found in MeSH, the databases of PUBMED and the Virtual Health Library (VHL) were used to find the articles analyzed in this review. Results: 24 articles were found. After the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 3 articles were included for analysis. Articles limiting the search in the last 5 years and which were in Portuguese, English and Spanish were selected. The search was performed with the descriptors: Covid-19; Intellectual Disability; learning disabilities; Child rearing; child, child development. Conclusion: After this quantitative systematic review, we concluded that the pandemic has limited many children with regard to social interaction, physical activity, continued medical treatment, socialization, safety in the home and essential food. And it is necessary to make changes for a better quality of life.