Imitation in eight young infants with Down's syndrome

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Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

M Heimann1, E Ullstadius, A Swerlander

  • 1Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Sweden.

Pediatric Research
|November 6, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Infants with Down syndrome showed imitation of tongue protrusion at 1 month old. This early imitation ability aligns with findings in typically developing infants, suggesting a shared developmental pathway.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatrics
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Early imitation is a crucial developmental milestone.
  • Down syndrome can impact neurodevelopmental trajectories.
  • Limited research exists on early imitation in infants with Down syndrome.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the imitation of tongue protrusion and mouth opening in infants with Down syndrome.
  • To compare early imitation abilities in infants with Down syndrome to typically developing infants.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study design.
  • Eight infants with Down syndrome were observed at 1, 3, and 4 months corrected age.
  • Modeling of tongue protrusion and mouth opening was used to elicit imitation.

Main Results:

  • Significant group imitation of tongue protrusion was observed at 1 month.
  • At 1 month, 4 out of 5 infants imitated tongue protrusion and mouth opening.
  • Inconsistent imitation was noted at 3 months, with increased response rates to mouth opening modeling.
  • Imitation appeared to decline by 4 months.

Conclusions:

  • Infants with Down syndrome demonstrate early imitation abilities, particularly for tongue protrusion.
  • These findings suggest that early imitation skills in infants with Down syndrome may follow a similar developmental pattern to that of typically developing infants.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the nuances of imitation development in this population.

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