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Kim Wiggins, OTR/L, is an experienced occupational therapist specializing in the treatment of children since 2001. She is a full-time therapist at a City School District in upstate New York, owner of www.OTKimWiggins.com, and has been a nationally known speaker since 2011. Kim is certified in Mobile Devices for Children with Disabilities, Puzzle Art Therapy, Handwriting Without Tears, Zaner Bloser, The Size Matters Handwriting Program, The Listening Program, and as an Irlen Screener.
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The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted almost every aspect of daily life, but for children, the impacts on learning, social skills, and emotional development have been profound. Experts have termed this phenomenon the "COVID Slide," referring to significant academic, social-emotional, and motor skill regressions.
As parents, educators, and therapists, understanding the nature of this slide and taking actionable steps can help children not only recover but thrive.
The COVID Slide describes developmental gaps resulting from months of school closures, remote learning, and limited social interactions. Studies already show that many students are, on average, five months behind in math and four months behind in reading.
Beyond academics, children also suffered setbacks in motor development and social-emotional skills, areas critical to healthy overall development.
Academic Skills: Young learners missed foundational lessons, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
Motor Skills:Limited playground access and reduced physical activity resulted in delays in both gross and fine motor development.
Social-Emotional Skills: Children missed critical opportunities for peer interaction, emotional regulation, and resilience-building experiences.
Research has even indicated that babies born during the pandemic, especially in high-impact areas like New York City, showed lower social communication and motor scores compared to pre-pandemic cohorts. Fortunately, these gaps are not permanent with intentional intervention.
Teachers and therapists are seeing second graders with skills typical of late kindergarten, and older students struggling with emotional regulation appropriate for younger developmental stages. Kindergarteners are entering school without prior preschool experience, making adaptation to structure and routines more difficult.
Encourage cooking, cleaning, and other chores as natural opportunities for motor development.
Implement school-wide motor labs and sensory paths.
Focus on gross motor skills first to build a strong foundation for fine motor activities like handwriting.
Movement enhances oxygen flow to the brain, boosting cognitive and emotional development.
Integrate physical activity into classroom learning and home routines.
Parents, teachers, speech therapists, and OTs should align their strategies.
Frequent collaboration ensures consistency and maximizes children's progress.
Model emotional identification: verbalize your own feelings and coping strategies.
Use body-based discussions to help children recognize how emotions feel physically.
Instead of layering new activities onto already busy schedules, embed skill-building into existing routines and lessons.
For example, switch letter bingo to include Play-Doh ball placement for fine motor development.
Programs like the "Just Right Curriculum" teach children about their sensory systems and emotional regulation strategies in engaging, age-appropriate ways.
Although the pandemic created undeniable setbacks, it also opened the door for innovation in education and therapy. By focusing on movement, emotional literacy, and collaboration, we can help children catch up and, importantly, build resilience for future challenges.
With a thoughtful, proactive approach, the COVID Slide can become a launching pad for stronger, more confident learners.
BORING, BUT NECESSARY LEGAL DISCLAIMERS
While we make every effort to share correct information, we are still learning. We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science and art. One doctor / therapist may have a different way of doing things from another. We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties and what we have found to be beneficial that will be as evidenced based as possible. By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your children. Consult your child’s pediatrician/ therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Rachel Harrington, Harkla, Jessica Hill, or any guests or contributors to the podcast, as well as any employees, associates, or affiliates of Harkla, be responsible for damages arising from use of the podcast.
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
This podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast.
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