Supporting Families and Caregivers of Infants and Young Children Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic: a webinar presented by Gerard Costa, Ph.D. & Joy D. Osofsky, Ph.D.

Drs. Joy Osofsky and Gerard Costa addressed the impact of the changes in our world and personal lives brought about by COVID-19. Special attention was given to the ways in which infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are affected when their usual routines are disrupted and their ability to manage stress and stay regulated are compromised. These changes were described through developmental and relationship-based perspectives, highlighting the critical importance of establishing new routines to support co-regulating, attuned, and responsive relationships. Insights from the brain sciences were described to better understand the ways in which infants, children, and adults may react around the fearful climate of COVID-19. Strategies for speaking with, supporting, and playing with infants and young children were presented.  Importantly, the need for self-care of the adults in the lives of the children was addressed.

In the first episode of this special series on COVID-19, Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, Dr. Jack Shonkoff,  discusses how to support healthy child development during a pandemic, including the importance of caring for caregivers.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation programs are not operating “normally” right now. Everyone needs to pivot to meet the needs of communities and partners. The Center for Excellence for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation wants mental health consultants and consultation programs to be utilized and recognized as the incredible resources they are.  Access those resources HERE.

Even during this uncertain time, it’s a sure thing that our children are still learning, growing, and developing. But, supporting a child’s healthy development can be simple and free! (And, it may even help relieve your stress.) Here are four steps to focus on right now.

Click HERE for the full infographic which explains the basics of what COVID-19 is, and what it can mean for stress levels in both children and the adults who care for them. It also offers some easy and concrete solutions to help caregivers ensure that both they and the children they care for don’t experience long-term effects of stress.

This statement from the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child’s Director Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., discusses two lessons we’ve already learned about child development from this pandemic.

From child care, to health care, to home-based activities, to policy, here is a list of links to national and international resources that can help with a variety of concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Compiled by the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child.)

Massive unemployment. Loss of life. Disrupted education. And an economy in free-fall. These are the ingredients for the kinds of tectonic social shifts that alter the arcs of human lives. And parents, as always, are at the fulcrum of the pressures, protecting their families while trying to hold together a semblance of normalcy for their children. DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE