What the Pandemic Did to Kids’ Brains

A recent study from Stanford University looked at and compared the brain structures of adolescents after the pandemic. What they found offers insights into what difficulty and stress can do to the human body, particularly the bodies of our developing children and teens. When compared with the assessments done on teen brains prior to the pandemic, the teen brains assessed post-pandemic appeared to be several years older. In other words, the study suggests that pandemic related stressors physically-altered brain structures, making them appear as if they had aged. This kind of brain-age acceleration is typically seen only in the brains of children who have experienced chronic adversity, such as neglect and family dysfunction. Parents, your children and teens are growing through a crucial period of life. We need to avoid piling on the pressure, and we need to point them to Jesus, who says, Come to me all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.