Could Lack Of Socialization During The Pandemic Have Long-Term Effects On Kids?
PENN HILLS, Pa. (KDKA) - It's an experience many of us have lacked over the last year: socialization.
"She could potentially enter a preschool next year and that landscape is unknown," said Kris Yaniello, a father of two.
Yaniello said the last year should have been a time of playdates for his two-and-a-half-year-old, but the pandemic halted that socialization.
"It's not just the conversation, it's the physical connection. Getting a hug from your grandmother, just being able to play with your little cousin," Yaniello said.
Now he worries about the long-term impacts.
"It's about the social interaction with other people, seeing other people in all walks of life. My 12-year-old is having the same experiences. She may not be young, but she's been at home the last year," Yaniello said.
KDKA took Yaniello's concerns to Dr. Williams Davies with Allegheny Health Network.
"Maybe that age of two to five or three to six -- in that range. It is important for kids to play with another because through that playing, they learn interpersonal skills, problem solving, taking turns," Davies said.
Without those building blocks, Dr. Davies said there will be a void in developmental skills, but parents can help fill that gap in the short-term.
"Get on the floor with your kids, do some pretend time, bring out your inner kid, dress up and do what you need to do to engage in some socialization," Davies said.
Davies' overall message is that kids are resilient and for parents to be patient. He believes post-COVID kids will bounce back and begin to pick up those social skills they lacked over the last year.