Is Birth Method Associated with Sensory Hyperreactivity in Children 3-4 Years in an Upper-Middle-Income Country?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Occupational Therapy

Background:

• Vaginal birth pressure aids infant neurophysiological adaptation.
• Absence of pressure in C-sections may increase risk for sensory modulation difficulties.
• Sensory hyperreactivity (SHR) negatively impacts children's occupational engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the association between birth method and sensory hyperreactivity (SHR).
• Examine if C-section births increase the risk of SHR in young children.
• Explore the relationship between birth mode and sensory processing in early childhood.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 91 children aged 3-4 years.
• Children categorized by birth method: caesarean section or vaginal birth.
• Caregivers completed the Short Sensory Profile-2 and demographic questionnaire.

Main Results:

• SHR prevalence was 29% in the vaginal birth group vs. 9% in the caesarean section group.
• Mothers in the vaginal birth group were younger, had lower income, and were more likely to be single.
• Challenges in understanding Short Sensory Profile-2 items were noted for caregivers in the vaginal birth group.

Conclusions:

• Higher SHR prevalence in the vaginal birth group supported a null hypothesis, but results are questioned.
• Data collection challenges impacted the reliability of findings.
• Further investigation into sociocultural and socioeconomic factors influencing SHR assessment in South Africa is recommended.