Logopaedic and Educational Observations During the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Development of Preschool Children with Language Disorders in a Speech and Language Therapy Preschool (Kindergarten): A Retrospective Real-World Study

Objectives/Background: During the COVID-19 (-19) pandemic, young children were infected and became ill less frequently than adults. Nevertheless, children are regarded as one of the populations disproportionately affected by pandemic-related measures, particularly social isolation, which may have influenced their psychological well-being and overall development. However, the extent of these developmental impairments, especially in younger children, remains insufficiently understood. This study analyses and compares cohorts of preschool children (aged 4–6) with speech disorders in the pre- (2018/2019), during- (2019–2021), and post-pandemic (2021/2022) periods. For all cohorts, extensive and repeated educational, logopaedic, and psychological assessment records covering a one-year period were available. Hypothesis: Pandemic-related measures resulted in behavioural, social–emotional, linguistic and developmental impairments in young children. Methodology: Cohorts of preschool children with speech disorders treated in a German speech therapy daycare centre (Sprachheilkindergarten) during the periods 2018/19 (n = 9) (A), 2019/20 (n = 8) (C-19) (B), 2020/21 (n = 8) (C-19) (C), and 2021/22 (n = 10) (D) were retrospectively analysed and compared using existing therapy documentation and validated assessment procedures. The following domains were examined: learning/performance, social–emotional behaviour, communication, speech fluency, articulation, and language comprehension. In total, 35 children aged 4–6 years across four cohorts were included in the analysis. Results: At admission to the speech therapy kindergarten, children in groups B and C (C-19, 2019–2021) demonstrated competencies comparable to those observed in groups A and D. All cohorts benefitted from the therapeutic interventions provided in the kindergarten setting. The strongest improvements were observed in the domains “learning/performance”, “communication” and “articulation”. However, the other domains also showed moderate-to-significant improvement; this also applies to the domain “social–emotional behaviour”. The domains related to language development all showed moderate-to-significant improvement. Notably, all children showed markedly reduced linguistic abilities at the time of kindergarten admission. Conclusions: In contrast to the pandemic-related impairments in children described in the literature, no significant problems were detected in the children studied in the examined domains. Thus, the results of this study seem to suggest an important role of educational support, for example, in social settings similar to daycare centres, and highlights the importance of maintaining such measures during exceptional circumstances, including future pandemics. The results of this observational study seem to be significant despite the existing bias. A comparable study would not be feasible and would also fail to meet ethical standards.