“when we had to keep him inside for like 3 months and I was at home with him, shielding that affected him and when we first came back to our lives and seeing other people he was really quite shy he didn’t want to see anyone again…..that way of keeping him inside for so long it was hard for him to get back into society and stuff like with people again.” (mother 17)
Most frequently mentioned was the enhanced vigilance around infections since the start of the pandemic, for example cleaning hands regularly, deterring the child from putting items into their mouths, washing clothes of family members who had attended outdoor activities, cleaning groceries coming into the house. General PCD care was sometimes delayed, routine clinic appointments postponed or conducted online, which especially impacted children with hearing problems and speech delay. The mother of one child reported: