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Developmental pathways in infants from 4 to 24 months

L Valla1, M S Birkeland2, D Hofoss3

  • 1National Network for Infant Mental Health in Norway, Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway.

Child: Care, Health and Development
|April 8, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Most infants follow stable developmental paths, but some show U-shaped gross motor or declining communication skills. Identifying predictors like low gestational age can guide early intervention for at-risk infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Epidemiology
  • Child Development
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Limited epidemiological data exists on infant developmental pathways in population-based samples.
  • Existing research highlights significant diversity in infant development.
  • Identifying predictors of developmental trajectories is crucial for effective early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify common developmental pathways in infancy using latent class analysis.
  • To investigate predictors associated with less beneficial developmental trajectories.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 1555 infants recruited from well-baby clinics in Norway.
  • Utilized the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to assess communication, motor, problem-solving, and social skills.
  • Employed latent class analysis to model developmental pathways.

Main Results:

  • Most infants exhibited stable, positive developmental pathways across assessed domains.
  • Heterogeneity was observed in communication and gross motor development.
  • A significant minority showed declining communication skills or U-shaped gross motor curves.
  • Low gestational age, Apgar score, male sex, maternal depression, non-Scandinavian ethnicity, and high maternal education predicted poorer communication pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Infants with specific risk factors (e.g., low gestational age, maternal depression) may be prone to less beneficial developmental pathways, particularly in communication.
  • Targeted surveillance and support for at-risk infants can mitigate developmental delays during critical early periods.
Abstract

Keywords:
Ages and Stages Questionnairesinfantspathwayspredictors

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