Analysis of mother-infant interaction in infants with down syndrome and typically developing infants

Vicky Slonims1, Helen McConachie

  • 1Guy's Hospital, London, UK. vicky.slonims@gstt.nhs.uk

Delays in development of early social behaviors in babies with Down syndrome are likely to affect patterns of interaction with their caregivers. We videotaped 23 babies in face-to-face interaction with their mothers at 8 and 20 weeks of age and compared them to 23 typically developing infants and their mothers. Social behaviors, mothers' behaviors, and quality of interaction were rated. At 8 weeks, babies with Down syndrome were significantly less communicative and lively than the typically developing babies. Their mothers' behaviors did not differ at 8 weeks, but did at 20 weeks. Although the social behaviors of babies with Down syndrome improved over time, qualitative differences remained.

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