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Annotated bibliography: effects of sleep position and play position on motor development in early infancy
Pai-jun M Liao1, Laura Zawacki, Suzann K Campbell
1Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612, USA.
Insights
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends supervised prone play for infants. While supine sleeping may temporarily delay motor skills, these effects diminish over time, highlighting the importance of tummy time for development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Physical Therapy
Context:
- The Back to Sleep Campaign (1992) significantly reduced infant prone sleeping.
- Supervised prone positioning for play is an often-overlooked AAP guideline.
- Infant sleep and play positions impact motor development.
Purpose:
- To review the effects of infant sleep/play position on motor development.
- To provide considerations for physical and occupational therapy in early infancy.
- To emphasize the importance of supervised prone positioning.
Summary:
- Supine sleeping may lead to temporary delays in gross motor milestones, but these are not long-term.
- Some studies indicate a reversed order of rolling development in infants sleeping predominantly supine.
- Supervised prone play is crucial for optimal motor skill acquisition.
Impact:
- Physical and occupational therapists should educate parents on AAP's supervised prone play recommendations.
- Incorporating prone activities into home programs can support early infant motor development.
- This review bridges the gap between sleep guidelines and developmental therapy practices.
Abstract:
The prevalence of prone sleeping has decreased dramatically since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published sleep position guidelines and launched the Back to Sleep Campaign in 1992. One aspect of the guidelines, which suggests placing infants in the prone position for supervised play time, is often overlooked. This review summarizes published articles related to the effects of sleep/play position on motor development and provides considerations for physical and occupational therapy practice in early infancy. The study results suggested that delays in the attainment of gross motor milestones in the prone position could be observed in infants whose predominant sleep position was supine, but the delays in motor development disappeared later in life. Some studies also found a reverse order of the rolling development. Therapists should educate parents about the less known advised rules of supervised play time in the prone position by the AAP, and include activities in the prone position as part of the home program in early infancy.
