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Anxiety of the 8th month in the preterm child
C Pisaturo1, S Frasconi, N Parodi
1Institute Giannina Gaslini, Division and Cbair of Infantile Neuropsychiatry, Genoa.
Insights
Spitz
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Investigating the timing of "anxiety of the 8th month" in infants.
- Comparing onset in preterm versus full-term infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if "anxiety of the 8th month" appears earlier in preterm infants.
- To analyze developmental milestones in relation to gestational age.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 27 infants, categorized by gestational age.
- Three groups: very preterm (<=33 weeks), preterm (34-37 weeks), and full-term (38-41 weeks).
- Regular follow-up assessments conducted.
Main Results:
- "Anxiety of the 8th month" onset was significantly earlier in very preterm infants (Group I).
- Onset timing was similar between preterm (Group II) and full-term infants (Group III).
Conclusions:
- Very preterm infants exhibit earlier onset of this anxiety due to unique organic and emotional factors.
- Preterm infants may possess an innate ability for prompt fear responses in social interactions.
Background:
Aim of this paper was to verify whether the condition described by Spitz as anxiety of the 8th months occurs earlier in the preterm than in the child born at term.
Methods:
A prospective study was carried out on 27 subjects subdivided into three groups of 9, 8, 10 patients, respectively, according to gestational age (group I < or = 33 weeks; group II > or = 34 < or = 37 weeks; group III > or = 38 < or = 41 weeks). The cases were selected at random from the patients admitted to the Neuropsychomotor Unit of the Gaslini Institute of Genoa (Italy), from May 1, 1993 to May 22, 1998. All 27 subjects underwent regular follow-up according to the protocol adopted in the Unit.
Results:
It was observed that in group I (very preterm children), this type of anxiety had a much earlier onset with respect to group II (preterm children with higher gestational age) and III (children bom at term), in which time of onset was similar.
Conclusions:
This observation could be ascribed i) to the peculiar organic and emotional conditions of a very preterm infant, who therefore is more "reactive", and ii) to its inborn ability to react promptly with manifestations of sudden alarm of fear within the frame work of interpersonal contacts.