Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Sleep patterns during infancy and neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes in early childhood: A prospective cohort

Wei Wei1,2, Jun Zhang1,2, Hui Wang1,2

  • 1Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health Xinhua Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China.

JCPP Advances
|August 2, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Infant sleep patterns, particularly poor sleep at 12 months and persistent poor sleep, are linked to less favorable neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes in preschoolers. Monitoring infant sleep is crucial for developmental research.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Infant sleep is complex, with habits and problems evolving rapidly.
  • Existing research links infant sleep to later outcomes, but few studies analyze overall patterns and transitions.
  • This study investigates infant sleep patterns and their association with preschool development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine associations between infant sleep patterns at 6 and 12 months and their transitions.
  • To assess the relationship between these sleep patterns and neurodevelopmental/behavioral outcomes in preschool children.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 1707 children from the Shanghai Birth Cohort.
  • Infant sleep assessed at 6 and 12 months using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire.
  • Latent class analysis identified sleep patterns; transitions were analyzed. Preschool outcomes measured using SDQ, SRS-SF, and BRIEF-P.

Main Results:

  • Good sleep patterns were prevalent (66-69%).
  • Consistent good sleep was observed in 51.57%, with transitions noted in others.
  • Poor sleep at 12 months and persistent poor sleep were linked to higher difficulties in social and behavioral assessments.

Conclusions:

  • Poorer infant sleep, especially persistent or later-onset, correlates with adverse preschool neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes.
  • Infant sleep patterns represent a significant early-life factor for developmental monitoring.
  • Findings underscore the importance of early sleep assessment for predicting later developmental trajectories.
Abstract

Keywords:
birth cohortinfant sleepneurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes

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