COVID-19 Pandemic Exposure and Toddler Behavioral Health in the ECHO Program.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Studies suggest developmental concerns for infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic, but evidence on its impact on toddler behavioral and emotional well-being remains limited.

Objective

To assess whether birth timing relative to the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with toddler internalizing and externalizing problems.

Design, setting, and participants

This retrospective cohort study utilized Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohort data collected between September 27, 2009, and July 21, 2023. Children were divided into 3 groups: the prepandemic group, who were born and assessed before March 13, 2020; the pandemic-assessed group, who were born before March 13, 2020, but assessed after that date; and the pandemic-born group, who were b

SUBMITTER: Akbaryan A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12409581 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature