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Preferred sleep position and gross motor achievement in early infancy

Eli Carmeli1, Rachel Marmur, Ayala Cohen

  • 1Physical Therapy Department, Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|September 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Infant positioning during sleep and play did not significantly impact gross motor development by six months. However, infants showed a trend towards increased prone positioning over time, which did not lead to developmental delays.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Infant Motor Development

Background:

  • Infant positioning is a key factor in early development.
  • Understanding preferred positions can inform developmental assessments.
  • Limited research exists on the long-term motor effects of favored infant positions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of an infant's favored positions on motor development at six months.
  • To explore the relationship between preferred sleep, awake, and play positions and gross motor skills.
  • To identify any associations between postural preferences and developmental milestones.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective observation of 75 full-term infants in their homes.
  • Daily and weekly parental logging of infant positions (sleep, awake, play).
  • Administration of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at six months of age.

Main Results:

  • No significant correlation was found between preferred sleep or awake positions and gross motor attainment.
  • Infants demonstrated a significant increase in prone positioning during sleep and awake times.
  • A balanced awake positioning strategy did not correlate with gross motor delays.

Conclusions:

  • An infant's favored position does not appear to significantly influence gross motor development by six months.
  • Increased prone positioning over the first six months is common and not associated with motor delays.
  • Promoting balanced positioning while awake is advisable, irrespective of the infant's preferred recumbent posture.

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