Promoting factors of physical and mental development in early infancy: a comparison of preterm delivery/low birth weight infants and term infants

Kaori Hayashida,Mikiya Nakatsuka

doi:10.1007/s12199-013-0370-6

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess correlations between various factors and the physical and mental development of 4-month-old infants using a multi-faceted evaluation approach. A total of 1,402 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to consenting mothers of infants who had undergone a 4-month health checkup in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan. The questionnaires included items from the Japan Child and Family Research Institute Child Rearing Support Questionnaire and the KIDS type A test. Of the 421 completed questionnaires on mother-child pairs that were returned, 318 met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for further analysis. Comparison between infants in a preterm delivery or low birth weight (LBW) group (preterm and/or LBW group; n=31) and a term delivery appropriate-weight for date (AFD) infant group (term AFD group; n =287) revealed that the preterm and/or LBW group had significantly higher mother child-rearing anxiety and difficult baby scores, along with significantly lower infant development and motor skill scores. Within the term AFD group, infants of primiparous mothers had significantly higher scores for motor skill and sociability with adults than those of multiparous mothers. Language comprehension scores were significantly higher in infants that were exclusively breast-fed than those formula-fed or combined breast-fed and formula-fed. Verbalization scores of infants whose mothers worked were significantly higher than those of infants whose mothers did not work. Infants with siblings aged <4years exhibited significantly lower scores for motor skills, verbalization, and sociability with adults than infants without siblings or with siblings aged at least 5years. In particular, we found that a mother's child-rearing anxiety was related to many areas of infant development. Evaluating the absence or presence of such factors and conducting preventive treatment could promote healthy infant development.

Highlights

Many different factors influence the physical and mental development of children
Hayashida Fukuyama Heisei University, 117-1 Kami-iwanari-shoto, Miyuki-cho, Fukuyama, Hiroshima 720-0001, Japan comprehension scores were significantly higher in infants that were exclusively breast-fed than those formula-fed or combined breast-fed and formula-fed
We found that low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth infants had lower Kinder Infant Development Scale (KIDS) test scores for motor skills and language comprehension development

Summary

Introduction

It has been reported that psychological stress [1], depression [1, 2], anxiety [1, 2], and anger [2] experienced by the mother during pregnancy may affect child development. Exposure to environmental risk factors, such as mercury [3] and cadmium [3], as well as smoking [4] and alcohol consumption [5] during pregnancy are known to affect child development. Malnutrition of infants has been reported to affect child development [6]. It has been found that child-rearing environmental factors, such as family and overcrowding in daycare centers, affect development [9]

Methods

Results

Conclusion