Related Experiment Videos
Deleterious effects of the prone position in the full-term infant throughout the first year of life
1Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France.
Insights
Prone position infant care can lead to muscular shortening and delayed motor skills. Early intervention with varied infant positioning is recommended to prevent motor behavior abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Infant Motor Development
Background:
- Infants nursed in the prone position since birth may experience altered postural development.
- Environmental factors significantly influence early motor skill acquisition and postural patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess motor development in infants nursed in the prone position.
- To identify potential abnormalities in muscular tone and motor skills.
- To highlight the importance of early prevention strategies for postural development.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 71 first-born infants nursed in prone position were followed.
- Motor assessments were conducted at 3, 5, and 9 months of age.
- Standardized developmental scales (Amiel-Tison, Brunet-Lézine) were utilized for evaluation.
Main Results:
- Abnormalities in muscular shortening were observed in the assessed infants.
- Delays in achieving expected motor skills were identified.
- The findings underscore the impact of sustained prone positioning on infant motor development.
Conclusions:
- Sustained prone positioning may negatively affect infant motor development and postural patterns.
- Early identification and intervention programs are crucial.
- Frequent changes in infant posture are recommended to mitigate risks and promote healthy development.
Abstract:
Seventy-one first-born infants who had been nursed in prone position since birth, were referred for motor assessment at 3 months, 5 months and 9 months. All infants were administered the same checklist of motor items, based on the Amiel-Tison Infant Neurological Evaluation and on the Brunet-Lézine Developmental Psychomotor Scale. Abnormalities in muscular shortening and delay in motor skills were found. These findings are critical as regards environmental influences on postural development, continuities in motor development and issues of early primary prevention. Early identification and follow-up programmes, including frequent changes in posture, are suggested in order to avoid abnormalities of motor behaviour and subsequently in postural patterns.