Summary:
Masks are indeed a saviour from Covid-19 infection but the constant screen of parents’ and grandparents’ faces at home is adversely affecting the development of babies’ social milestones like smiling and cooing.
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New dad Nitin Parikh (name changed) started worrying when his six-month-old baby boy wasn’t responding to gestures and smile.
He called up a paediatrician and the diagnosis left him stumped.
The doctor told him that the Covid pandemic is having a totally different level of effect on babies, particularly those below two years of age.
Masks are indeed a saviour from Covid-19 infection but the constant screen of parents’ and grandparents’ faces at home is adversely affecting the development of babies’ social milestones like smiling and cooing.
Paediatricians across the state are unanimous about the adverse effect of face masks on the newborns’ social skills in the new normal.
“The sensory stimulation among many kids below two years of age is missing.
They are not able to understand the facial gestures quickly and their social milestones are also getting delayed by an average 2-3 months,” said Dr Tushar Shah, executive board member, Academy of Paediatrics Gujarat.
“Since they were born and began to understand the world around, babies below two years are seeing everyone wearing face masks.
They can’t see facial gestures like anger, laughter or joy when they meet anyone.