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Imitation in eight young infants with Down's syndrome
M Heimann1, E Ullstadius, A Swerlander
1Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Sweden.
Pediatric Research
|November 6, 1998
Summary
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.