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How do parents and early intervention professionals utilize educational resources about infant development and play?
Julie M Orlando1, Andrea B Cunha2, Zainab S Alghamdi1
1Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
Insights
Parents primarily use online searches for infant development and play information. Early intervention providers should discuss preferred learning methods with parents to ensure access to high-quality resources.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
- Parent Education
Background:
- Parents increasingly seek health information online.
- Limited research exists on parents' sources for infant development and play information.
- Understanding parent preferences is crucial for effective early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parent and early intervention (EI) provider practices and preferences for parent education on infant development and play.
- To identify preferred information sources and delivery methods for parents.
- To assess EI providers' use and perception of available educational resources.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey design.
- 112 parents and 138 EI providers participated.
- Surveys collected data on information-seeking behaviors, preferred learning methods, and perceived quality of resources.
Main Results:
- Parents more frequently sought information on development than play.
- Internet searches and websites were preferred by parents for both topics.
- Parents of at-risk infants preferred home visits or classes for developmental information.
- Most EI providers have not inquired about parents' preferred information sources.
- EI providers perceived existing development resources as higher quality than play resources, noting a need for improvement in both.
Conclusions:
- Parents utilize diverse methods to access information on infant development and play.
- EI providers and healthcare professionals should actively discuss these methods with parents.
- Collaborative discussions can ensure parents receive tailored, high-quality developmental information.
Background:
Parents utilize online sources to learn about health information, however few studies have examined where parents look for information about development or play for young children.
Aims:
Investigate parents' and early intervention (EI) providers' practices and preferences regarding parent education about infant development and play.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional survey design.
Subjects:
112 parents and 138 EI providers participated.
Outcome Measures:
One survey probed where parents look for information and preferred methods for receiving information about infant development and play. A second survey identified the parent education sources used and perceived quality of sources available by EI providers. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted.
Results:
112 parents and 138 EI providers participated. A greater proportion of parents sought information about development than play. Overall, parents used internet searches and preferred websites for education about development and play; however, parents of infants at risk for developmental delay preferred receiving developmental information through home visits or classes. Most EI providers have not asked parents where they look for information. A greater proportion of EI providers agreed existing sources about development, rather than about play, are high quality, but identified the need to develop high-quality sources about both topics.
Conclusions:
There are a variety of methods that parents access and prefer for education about infant development and play. EI providers and other healthcare professionals should discuss the methods with parents to support parents in their quest for information and ensure parents receive high-quality information.
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