Reference no: EM133453875

Face masks have not only created a barrier to speech development, but they have also deterred a child from reading facial expressions. Facial expressions are crucial to understanding the meaning and intention behind every word. Masks have contributed to noticeable mislearning and misunderstanding among children. Constant use of masks while interacting with children has also impacted a child's social and emotional skills.

1. What conclusions might you as a parent make based on the above statements? What would stand out to you?

2. Locate 2-3 recent (2023 or 2022) academic psychological RESEARCH articles that focus on social developments in infancy (e.g. language, emotion, etc.). What does this research reveal about the actual impact of pandemic restrictions and precautions on infant social developments? Briefly report on what the researchers did and what their conclusions were. Are there any limitations in these studies that you would want to point out to parents?

3. After examining these research articles: What critiques would you have of the statements made in the online sources quoted above? Does the current research support such statements? How might these statements be misleading? How would you modify the statements that were made?

4. Based on what you have discovered by looking at the research, what messages are there for parents? What does the research indicate regarding the concerns that these online sources raise? What take-home messages would there be based on this research for parents? (Is there reason for hope? Is it all "doom and gloom"?)