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Published on: December 18, 2013
Young children's full-day patterns of cortisol production on child care days
Melissa Manni Sumner1, Kristin Bernard, Mary Dozier
1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, 108 Wolf Hall, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Insights
Cortisol levels in toddlers rise in the afternoon on child care days but return to normal by bedtime. These effects of child care on stress hormones are temporary throughout the day.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Endocrinology
- Child Care Research
Background:
- Child care attendance can influence children's physiological stress responses.
- Cortisol, a key stress hormone, exhibits diurnal patterns that may be altered by daily experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate diurnal cortisol production patterns in toddlers on child care versus non-child care days.
- To determine if mid-afternoon cortisol elevations during child care persist into the evening.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study involving 42 toddlers (16-24 months) in full-day child care.
- Salivary cortisol samples collected at four time points (wake-up, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, bedtime) on child care and non-child care days.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in cortisol production patterns were observed between child care and non-child care days (chi(2)(4) = 18.21, P = .001).
- Child care days showed an afternoon cortisol increase, which was not seen on non-child care days.
- Cortisol levels decreased to typical non-child care day levels by bedtime.
Conclusions:
- The impact of child care on toddlers' cortisol production is time-limited within a 24-hour period.
- Elevated afternoon cortisol levels associated with child care do not extend into the evening hours.
Objective:
To examine toddlers' full-day patterns of cortisol production on child care days and non-child care days, with a particular focus on whether the mid-afternoon elevations at child care persist into the evening or decrease to typical levels observed on non-child care days.
Design:
A prospective observational study.
Setting:
Four child care centers in a suburban, mid-Atlantic area.
Participants:
Forty-two children aged 16 to 24 months attending full-day child care.
Main Exposure:
Full-day child care.
Outcome Measure:
Salivary cortisol samples obtained at wake-up, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and bedtime for children on 2 child care days and 2 non-child care days.
Results:
Children showed different patterns of cortisol production on child care days compared with non-child care days (chi(2)(4) = 18.21, P = .001). Child care days were characterized by an afternoon increase in cortisol levels (unlike non-child care days) and decreases to bedtime values that were comparable with levels on non-child care days.
Conclusion:
Results suggest that the effects of child care on children's cortisol production are time limited across the day.
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