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Psychosocial stress affects the relationship between prolactin (PRL) and cortisol (CORT). The dynamics of PRL and CORT changes under stress in human milk (HM) are largely unknown. We investigated how maternal stress related to recent life changes affects milk CORT and PRL concentrations. The study involved 116 mothers exclusively breastfeeding 5-month-old infants. Maternal psychological stress was evaluated using the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire (RLCQ). Stress response was determined by administering the cold pressor test and measuring CORT in saliva taken during and in milk collected after the test. Hormones concentrations were assayed using the ELISA method. The hierarchical regression models were run to test the association between maternal RLCQ, salivary CORT, and PRL, and CORT in milk. Maternal RLCQ correlated positively with the CORT in saliva, however, no direct association was found between RLCQ and PRL. After controlling for covariates, a positive association was found between salivary and milk CORT. A negative relationship was observed between salivary CORT and milk PRL. The results of the present study indicate that maternal psychological stress may affect the relationship between CORT and PRL in HM. In response to psychological stress, both hormones transported via milk can program infant development in the early postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Interpretation Assess the capacity of brain state of the newborn (BSN) to predict neurodevelopment outcomes in neonatal encephalopathy.Trends of BSN, a deep learning‐based measure translating EEG background to a continuous trend, were studied from a three‐channel montage long‐term EEG monitoring from a prospective cohort of 92 infants with neonatal encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcomes assessed by Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 3rd edition (Bayley‐III) at 18 months. Outcome prediction used categories “Severe impairment” (Bayley‐III composite score ≤70 or death) or “Any impairment” (score ≤85 or death).“Severe impairment” was predicted best for motor outcomes (24 h area under the curve (AUC) = 0.97), followed by cognitive (36 h AUC = 0.90), overall (24 h AUC = 0.84), and language (24 h AUC = 0.82). “Any impairment” was best predicted for motor outcomes (12 h AUC = 0.95), followed by cognitive (24 h AUC = 0.85), overall (12 h AUC = 0.75), and language (12 and 24 h AUC = 0.68). Optimal BSN cutoffs for outcome predictions evolved with the postnatal age. Low BSN scores reached a 100% positive prediction of poor outcomes at 24 h of age.BSN is an excellent predictor of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in survivors of neonatal encephalopathy after therapeutic hypothermia, even at 24 h of life. The trend provides a fully automated, objective, quantified, and reliable interpretation of EEG background. The high temporal resolution supports continuous bedside brain assessment and early prognostication during the initial dynamic recovery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to reveal the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neuromotor development in infants (aged 6–24 months). A total of 75 infants were included in this cross-sectional observational study. Neuromotor development was assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST II). The AIMS results showed that 14.7% were classified as abnormal, 10.6% as suspicious, and 74.7% as normal. The DDST II results showed that 14.7% of the participants were classified as suspicious, 13.3% as abnormal, and 72% as normal. This study found that 25% of infants aged 6–24 months who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited questionable or abnormal neurological development. This reveals the negative impact of the pandemic on neuromotor development. Delays were observed more frequently in fine and gross motor areas.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05778357. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have found long-term effects of early musical environmental enrichment in the NICU on preterm infant's development. This study examines how early music enrichment affects emotional development and effortful control abilities in 12- and 24-month-old very preterm (VPT) infants. Methods: One hundred nineteen newborns were recruited, including 83 VPTs and 36 full-term (FT) infants. The VPT infants were randomly assigned to the music intervention (44 VPT-Music) or control (39 VPT-control) groups. VPTMusic infants listened specifically designed music intervention from the 33rd week of gestation until hospital discharge. At 12 and 24 months, children were clinically evaluated using the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery, and at 24 months, with 3 additional episodes of the Effortful Control Battery. Results and discussion: Our analysis showed that during a fear eliciting task, the VPT-Music group expressed lower level of fear reactivity and higher positive motor actions than VPT-controls and FT infants. At 24 months, the VPT-music group had lower scores for negative motor actions in the joy task, compared to both VPT-control and FT groups. In addition, both FT and VPT-music had higher scores of sustained attention compared to VPT-controls, but the contrasts were not significant. No significant effects on mental, language and motor outcomes were identified and for all three dimensions of the ECBQ. Conclusion: The present study suggests that an early music intervention in the NICU might influence preterm children's emotional processing at 12 and 24 months. Limitations and suggestions for future research are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether infants encode better the features of a briefly occluded object if its movements are specified simultaneously by vision and audition than if they are not (data collected: 2017–2019). Experiment 1 showed that 10‐month‐old infants (N = 39, 22 females, White‐English) notice changes in the visual pattern on the object irrespective of the stimulation received (spatiotemporally congruent audio‐visual stimulation, incongruent stimulation, or visual‐only; ηp2 =.53). Experiment 2 (N = 72, 36 female) found similar results in 6‐month‐olds (Test Block 1, ηp2 =.13), but not 4‐month‐olds. Experiment 3 replicated this finding with another group of 6‐month‐olds (N = 42, 21 females) and showed that congruent stimulation enables infants to detect changes in object trajectory (d = 0.56) in addition to object pattern (d = 1.15), whereas incongruent stimulation hinders performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During infancy, intersensory facilitation declines gradually as unisensory perception develops. However, this trade‐off was mainly investigated using audiovisual stimulations. Here, fifty 4‐ to 12‐month‐old infants (26 females, predominately White) were tested in 2017–2020 to determine whether the facilitating effect of their mother's body odor on neural face categorization, as previously observed at 4 months, decreases with age. In a baseline odor context, the results revealed a face‐selective electroencephalographic response that increases and changes qualitatively between 4 and 12 months, marking improved face categorization. At the same time, the benefit of adding maternal odor fades with age (R2 =.31), indicating an inverse relation with the amplitude of the visual response, and generalizing to olfactory‐visual interactions previous evidence from the audiovisual domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This longitudinal study investigated the language skills, phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception of Mandarin‐speaking late‐talkers (LTs) and those with typical language development (TLD) at 27 months, while also examining their connections with novel word‐referent mapping (W‐R mapping) through eye‐tracking at 33 months. Methods and Procedures: Participants included 22 Mandarin‐speaking 27‐month‐old LTs and 22 toddlers with TLD. Data on expressive and receptive language abilities, as well as phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception, were collected when participants were 27 months old. An eye‐tracking paradigm was further employed during the word‐learning tasks, which included W‐R mapping and word‐identification test (W‐I test) phases at 33 months. Multilevel models were used to analyse participants' gaze pattern trajectories. Outcomes and Results: At 27 months, LT toddlers exhibited poorer language skills (receptive: p = 0.015, expressive: p < 0.001), lexical‐tone perception (p < 0.001) and phonological working memory (p < 0.001) compared to those with TLD, even after considering maternal educational level and participants' fine motor ability. During the W‐I test phase, we observed that LT toddlers showed a slower increase in fixations on the novel target image while listening to the corresponding novel word over time, compared to TLD toddlers (linear: p = 0.011, quadratic: p = 0.007) after adding confounders. Further, expressive language ability at 27 months old was a predictor of their newly established W‐R mappings at 33 months old (p = 0.016). Additionally, the toddler's phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception were associated with their expressive language ability (p = 0.001 and < 0.001). Conclusions and Implications: These findings indicate that the novel W‐R mapping is not as robust in LTs as in TLDs, and the skills necessary for word learning share similarities with a wide range of expressive language abilities. Moreover, poor expressive language abilities were associated with deficits in lexical processing abilities; that is, phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception. These findings suggest the need for interventions aimed at improving LTs' lexical processing abilities to strengthen their lagging word‐learning skills at toddlerhood. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Late‐talkers (LTs) exhibit delays in expressive vocabulary development. Furthermore, they also perform poorly in word learning. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The eye‐tracking paradigm was employed and found that novel word‐referent mapping (W‐R mapping) is not as robust in LTs as in those with typical language development. Toddlers' early expressive language ability could predict their ability to establish novel W‐R mappings. Furthermore, the better the phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception of LTs are, the better their early expressive language ability is. What are the clinical implications of this work?: Interventions might consider incorporating strategies to improve phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception to help Mandarin‐speaking LTs enhance linguistic capacities and build robust novel W‐R mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of parent‐completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ‐3) to identify abnormal or delayed gross motor development in infants born less than 1000 g or less than 28 weeks gestation. Methods: Prospective cohort study of high‐risk infants comparing ASQ‐3 as the index test with concurrent score on Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) as the reference standard, at 4‐, 8‐ and 12‐month corrected (post‐term) age. Reference standard positivity cut‐offs were 'Abnormal motor development' (AIMS Clinical Range) and 'Motor delay' (AIMS score >1 SD below mean, not captured in Clinical Range). Results: Participating infants (n = 191) had mean gestational age (95% confidence interval (CI)) 26.8 weeks (26.6–27.1) and mean birthweight (95% CI) 870 g (844–896). AIMS rated 51%, 31% and 23% of infants as having 'Abnormal motor development' and 12%, 28% and 13% with 'Motor delay', at 4, 8 and 12 months, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of ASQ‐3 to identify abnormal motor development was acceptable for older infants only if 'Monitor' cut‐off was used: sensitivity (95% CI) 33% (23–44), 86% (73–95) and 80% (63–92) and specificity (95% CI) 84% (74–92), 76% (66–84), and 76% (67–83) at 4, 8 and 12 months, respectively. ASQ‐3 sensitivity to identify motor delay was low. Conclusions: ASQ‐3 has poor sensitivity to identify abnormal or delayed motor development at 4 months. Using the 'Monitor' cut‐off improves the diagnostic accuracy of ASQ‐3 for identification of older infants with abnormal motor development who are at high risk of motor disability. However, ASQ‐3 has poor sensitivity to identify motor delay. Clinical motor assessment of high‐risk infants is recommended, particularly in early infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. Pregnant women are vulnerable to adverse effects of medicines, especially during the first trimester. Though it is advised to avoid unnecessary intake of medicine during pregnancy, CAM use is widespread. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted on 120 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Udaipur district of Southern Rajasthan, India. Women of age 18 years and above were surveyed between July 2022 to December 2023 by convenient sampling strategy and data were entered in a pretested and pre-validated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test was applied to compare CAM use among different demographic categories and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of 120 participants, 58 (48.33 %) were using CAM therapy. Out of 58 users, 44 (75.86 %) were using herbal & traditional medicines. Twenty (34.48 %) were using CAM for a healthy baby, 18 (31.03 %) for easy delivery and 17 (29.31 %) for boosting immunity. Forty (68.96 %) participants started CAM on the advice of a relative/friend. Fifty six (46.67 %) participants believe that CAM therapy cannot cause adverse effects on the in utero child, while 32 (26.67 %) believe that CAM and modern medicines don't interact. CAM use among pregnant women is substantial. There is a need to raise awareness among the healthcare professionals and pregnant women regarding possible adverse effects and drug-drug interactions with CAM use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cow milk is rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals; however, its precise nutrient content varies based on various factors. In the current study, we evaluated the differences in the fatty acid and protein contents of milk and the factors associated with these differences. To achieve this, samples were collected from seven types of cows in different regions. These included samples from three dairy breeds: Chinese Holstein milk from Beijing, China (BH), Chinese Holstein milk (HH) and Jersey milk (JS) from Hebei province, China; and four dairy/meat breeds: Sanhe milk (SH) from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, Xinjiang brown milk (XH) and Simmental milk (SI) from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, and Shu Xuanhua milk (SX) from Sichuan province, China. Breed significantly affects total fat, fatty acid, and protein contents. Additionally, geographic region significantly affects the contents of different fatty acids, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin. JS has the highest total fat and casein contents. XH samples contain significantly higher unsaturated fatty acid content than BH samples and do not differ significantly from JS. Additionally, the low β-lactoglobulin and high lactoferrin contents in XH samples may be favorable for the growth and development of infants. Our results may inform the development of dairy products from different cow breeds and advance the process of accurate breed identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) stands poised to revolutionize our understanding of auditory detection, speech perception, and language development in infants. In this study, we conducted a meticulous integrative review across Medline, Scopus, and LILACS databases, targeting investigations utilizing fNIRS to explore language‐related features and cortical activation during auditory stimuli in typical infants. We included studies that used the NIRS technique to study language and cortical activation in response to auditory stimuli in typical infants between 0 and 3 years old. We used the ROBINS‐I tool to assess the quality and the risk of bias in the studies. Our analysis, encompassing 66 manuscripts, is presented in standardized tables for streamlined data extraction. We meticulously correlated findings with children's developmental stages, delineating crucial insights into brain development and its intricate interplay with language outcomes. Although most studies have a high risk for overall bias, especially due to the high loss of data in NIRS studies, the low risk in the other domains is predominant and homogeneous among the studies. Highlighted are the unique advantages of fNIRS for pediatric studies, underscored by its innate suitability for use in children. This review accentuates fNIRS' capacity to elucidate the neural correlates of language processing and the sequential steps of language acquisition. From birth, infants exhibit abilities that lay the foundation for language development. The progression from diffuse to specific neural activation patterns is extremely influenced by exposure to languages, social interaction, and prosodic features and, reflects the maturation of brain networks involved in language processing. In conclusion, fNIRS emerges as an indispensable functional imaging modality, providing insights into the temporal dynamics of language acquisition and associated developmental milestones. This synthesis presents the pivotal role of fNIRS in advancing our comprehension of early language development and paves the way for future research endeavors in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the importance of infancy for establishing growth trajectories, with later-life health consequences, we investigated longitudinal body composition among infants from six economically and ethnically diverse countries. Methods: We recruited mother-infant dyads using the WHO Multicenter Growth Reference Study criteria. We measured fat-free mass (FFM) in 1393 (49% female) infants from birth to 6 months of age (Australia, India, and South Africa; n = 468), 3–24 months of age (Brazil, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka; n = 925), and derived fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-length (WHZ) Z-scores were computed. Sex differences were assessed using a t-test, and country differences using a one-way analysis of covariance. We further compared subsamples of children with average (−0.25 > HAZ < +0.25), below-average (≤−0.25) and above-average (≥+0.25) HAZ. Results: HAZ performed well between 0 and 6 months, but less so between 3 and 24 months. The stunting prevalence peaked at 10.3% for boys and 7.8% for girls, at 24 months. By 24 months, girls had greater FMI (10%) than boys. There were significant differences in FFM (both sexes in all countries) and FM (Brazilian boys, Pakistani and South African girls) by 24 months of age between infants with average, above-average, and below-average HAZ. Conclusion: In a multi-country sample representing more ideal maternal conditions, body composition was heterogeneous even among infants who exhibited ideal length. Having a mean HAZ close to the median of the WHO standard for length reduced FFM between-country heterogeneity but not FM, suggesting that other factors may influence adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing all infants with the best start to life is a universal but challenging goal for the global community. Historically, the size and shape of infants, quantified by anthropometry and commencing with birthweight, has been the common yardstick for physical growth and development. Anthropometry has long been considered a proxy for nutritional status during infancy when, under ideal circumstances, changes in size and shape are most rapid. Developed from data collected in the Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS), WHO Child Growth Standards for healthy infants and children have been widely accepted and progressively adopted. In contrast, and somewhat surprisingly, much less is understood about the 'quality' of growth as reflected by body composition during infancy. Recent advances in body composition assessment, including the more widespread use of air displacement plethysmography (ADP) across the first months of life, have contributed to a progressive increase in our knowledge and understanding of growth and development. Along with stable isotope approaches, most commonly the deuterium dilution (DD) technique, the criterion measure of total body water (TBW), our ability to quantify lean and fat tissue using a two-compartment model, has been greatly enhanced. However, until now, global reference charts for the body composition of healthy infants have been lacking. This paper details some of the historical challenges associated with the assessment of body composition across the first two years of life, and references the logical next steps in growth assessments, including reference charts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined associations between fat free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) accretion during the first 1000 days of life and neurodevelopment in term-born, low-risk infants from Karachi, Pakistan. Design: Prospective, observational study nested within the larger Multi-Center Body Composition Reference Study. FFM, FM, and fat% were estimated using measured deuterium dilution method. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 24 months on the INTER-NDA (INTERGROWTH-21st Project Neurodevelopment Assessment) (n = 132). Results: Children with gross motor delays had significantly lower FFM at 18 months (8.01 ± 0.97 kg vs. 7.55 ± 0.20 kg). Children with positive and negative behavior problems had significantly higher fat% at 24 months (20.62 ± 4.30% vs. 18.23 ± 5.46%) and 20.89 ± 4.24% vs. 18.54 ± 5.38%). No associations remained significant after adjusting for covariates. Trajectory modeling showed that between 12 and 18 months, negative behavior scores changed by 13.8 points for every standard deviation change in fat accretion. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of balancing neurodevelopment and metabolic risk when designing nutritional interventions for young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inpatient parent–infant psychiatric units (PIUs) are considered "gold standard" for treating maternal mental illness, with well‐documented positive outcomes for mothers. However, little research addresses outcomes for infants in these units, who often face significant developmental and socio‐emotional adversity. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and progress of an Australian PIU population, focusing on the impact of PIU admission on infant outcomes. Over 3 months, 31 consecutively admitted mother–infant pairs (dyads) were assessed through interviews, observations, and standardized measures to evaluate maternal and infant characteristics and progress from admission to discharge. Maternal well‐being and the mother–infant relationship improved. Infants exhibited high levels of physical (29%) and developmental concerns (80.6%). 22.6% receiving an Axis I infant mental health diagnosis. Infant socio‐emotional responsiveness improved significantly, as measured by the modified Alarm‐Distress Baby Scale, indicating a positive impact of PIU admission. The small sample size and reliance on clinician‐observed measures limit the generalizability of the findings. PIU infants are particularly vulnerable, and PIU admission may ameliorate socio‐emotional responsiveness. Further research with larger samples and extended follow‐up is needed to determine the most effective intervention strategies during and after PIU admission to maximize benefits for these infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested the assumption that the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-4) functions similarly for boys and girls and for four age groups. The Bayley-4 American norming sample of 1,700 children ages 0–42 months (3.5 years) was used, which included 50% boys and girls. Fifty-three percent of the children identified as White, 22.1% as Hispanic, 12.5% as Black, 8.5% as other, and 4.0% as Asian. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the three-factor structure of cognitive, language, and motor abilities fit the data well (comparative fit index =.99, root-mean-square of error of approximation =.08, standardized root-mean-square residual =.02) and fit significantly better than the two- and one-factor models. The correlations between the latent factors were moderate (r =.73) to large sized (r =.81). Measurement and structural invariance were tested for boys and girls and four age groups (0–5, 6–13, 14–25, and 26–42 months). Residual invariance was supported for girls and boys, and intercept invariance was supported for the four age groups. The measurement invariance results suggest the Bayley-4 is not biased toward these gender and age groups, and group comparisons and decision making can be made with the Bayley-4 scores. Structural invariance findings suggested some differences for gender and age groups. The relations between the cognitive, language, and motor factors and factor variances were equal across girls and boys but differed significantly across the four age groups. Girls scored significantly higher on the three latent means, but these differences were small to negligible. Public Significance Statement: Young children's test scores on the Bayley-4, an early childhood test of cognitive, language, and motor functioning, had the same meaning for girls and boys and infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Girls' and boys' and infants', toddlers', and preschoolers' Bayley-4 scores can be compared and used for decision making across these groups. Girls' language, motor, and cognitive abilities were significantly higher than boys, but differences were small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral inhibition (BI), an early-life temperament characterized by vigilant responses to novelty, is a risk factor for anxiety disorders. In this study, we investigated whether differences in neonatal brain responses to infrequent auditory stimuli relate to children's BI at 1 year of age. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we collected blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) data from N = 45 full-term, sleeping neonates during an adapted auditory oddball paradigm and measured BI from n = 27 of these children 1 year later using an observational assessment. Whole-brain analyses corrected for multiple comparisons identified 46 neonatal brain regions producing novelty-evoked BOLD responses associated with children's BI scores at 1 year of age. More than half of these regions (n = 24, 52%) were in prefrontal cortex, falling primarily within regions of the default mode or frontoparietal networks or in ventromedial/orbitofrontal regions without network assignments. Hierarchical clustering of the regions based on their patterns of association with BI resulted in two groups with distinct anatomical, network, and response-timing profiles. The first group, located primarily in subcortical and temporal regions, tended to produce larger early oddball responses among infants with lower subsequent BI. The second group, located primarily in prefrontal cortex, produced larger early oddball responses among infants with higher subsequent BI. These results provide preliminary insights into brain regions engaged by novelty in infants that may relate to later BI. The findings may inform understanding of anxiety disorders and guide future research. Public Significance Statement: This study suggests that specific neural responses to novel sounds in the neonatal brain may be related to children's behavioral inhibition (BI), an early-life temperament characterized by increased vigilance to novelty, 1 year later. Neonatal brain areas producing these responses include regions of prefrontal cortex, temporal cortex, and subcortical structures including pons and amygdala. Given associations between BI and later anxiety symptoms, these findings may inform the understanding of neural antecedents of anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear reactivity is an early emerging temperament trait that predicts longer term behavioral and health outcomes. The current analysis tests the hypothesis, an extension of prior research on maternal immune activation (MIA), that the prenatal maternal immune system is a reliable predictor of observed fear reactivity in infancy. The analysis is based on a prospective longitudinal cohort study that collected data from the first trimester and conducted observational assessments of temperament at approximately 12 months of age (n = 281 infants). MIA was assessed from immune biomarkers measured in maternal blood at each trimester; infant temperament was assessed using the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery assessment at 12 months; covariates included family and sociodemographic factors. Patterns of inflammatory markers across gestation reliably predicted observed temperament: elevated prenatal MIA was associated with high fear reactivity to novel stimuli. The findings provide novel evidence of prenatal origins of fear reactivity and suggest developmental mechanisms that may underlie early emerging individual differences in child temperament. Public Significance Statement: This research examines the prenatal developmental origins of a key aspect of child behavioral development, fear reactivity in infancy. The findings provide the first robust evidence that maternal immune activation in pregnancy is associated with early-emerging fear reactivity. These results extend prior work on prenatal influence on child behavioral development in ways that suggest developmental mechanisms and potential intervention targets for promoting child health and behavioral and social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Test‐retest reliability—establishing that measurements remain consistent across multiple testing sessions—is critical to measuring, understanding, and predicting individual differences in infant language development. However, previous attempts to establish measurement reliability in infant speech perception tasks are limited, and reliability of frequently used infant measures is largely unknown. The current study investigated the test‐retest reliability of infants' preference for infant‐directed speech over adult‐directed speech in a large sample (N = 158) in the context of the ManyBabies1 collaborative research project. Labs were asked to bring in participating infants for a second appointment retesting infants on their preference for infant‐directed speech. This approach allowed us to estimate test‐retest reliability across three different methods used to investigate preferential listening in infancy: the head‐turn preference procedure, central fixation, and eye‐tracking. Overall, we found no consistent evidence of test‐retest reliability in measures of infants' speech preference (overall r = 0.09, 95% CI [−0.06,0.25]). While increasing the number of trials that infants needed to contribute for inclusion in the analysis revealed a numeric growth in test‐retest reliability, it also considerably reduced the study's effective sample size. Therefore, future research on infant development should take into account that not all experimental measures may be appropriate for assessing individual differences between infants. Research Highlights: We assessed test‐retest reliability of infants' preference for infant‐directed over adult‐directed speech in a large pre‐registered sample (N = 158).There was no consistent evidence of test‐retest reliability in measures of infants' speech preference.Applying stricter criteria for the inclusion of participants may lead to higher test‐retest reliability, but at the cost of substantial decreases in sample size.Developmental research relying on stable individual differences should consider the underlying reliability of its measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The nutritional intake of formula‐fed newborns is often limited to a single source, so it must be supplemented with essential nutrients for the growth and proper development of infants. Taurine, l‐carnitine, and choline are considered conditionally essential nutrients especially in newborns and infants. RESULTS: In this work, a simple routine hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC‐ESI‐MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of these semi‐essential nutrients in infant and adult/pediatric milk formulas. The extraction recoveries were between 90% and 114%. Precision of the method offered relative standard deviation below 5% and 7% for intra‐day and inter‐day precision, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantification of taurine, l‐carnitine, and choline in milk formula. The contents found were in good agreement with those provided on the product label for almost all samples. CONCLUSION: In view of these results, it can be concluded that the developed method can be a useful approach for the simultaneous determination of taurine, l‐carnitine and choline in powdered milk samples, so it can be useful in the routine quality control of this kind of samples. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infants are sensitive to distortions to the global configurations of bodies by 3.5 months of age, suggesting an early onset of body knowledge. It is unclear, however, whether such sensitivity indicates knowledge of the location of specific body parts or solely reflects sensitivity to the overall gestalt of bodies. This study addressed this issue by examining whether, like adults, infants attend to specific locations where body parts have been reorganized. Results show that adults and 5‐month‐olds, but not 3.5‐month‐olds, allocated more attention to the body joint areas (e.g., where the arm connects to the shoulder) that were reorganized versus ones that were typical. To examine whether this kind of processing is driven by low‐level features, 5‐month‐olds were tested on images in which the head was removed. Infants no longer exhibited differential scanning of typical versus reorganized bodies. Results suggest that 5‐month‐olds are sensitive to the location of body parts, thereby demonstrating adult‐like response patterns consistent with early expertise in body processing. The contrasting failure of 3.5‐month‐olds to exhibit sensitivity to the reorganization suggests a developmental change between these ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young infants' face perception capabilities quickly tune to the features of their primary caregiver. The current study examines whether infants distinguish faces in a more conceptual manner using a manual‐search, violation of expectation task that has previously been used to test kind‐based individuation. We tested how well infants between 11 and 27 months of age individuated faces that varied by superordinate category (human vs. non‐human in Experiment 1) subordinate category (individual identity in Experiment 2) or by race (White vs. Black, Experiments 1 & 2). We assessed individuation by quantifying the difference in infants' duration of reaching within an empty box between trials when the box was unexpectedly empty and expectedly empty. We found evidence of individuation across all ages and conditions, but with within‐infant variation. On average, infants individuated face from non‐face stimuli (Experiment 1), individual face identities (Experiment 2), and White versus Black faces (Experiments 1 & 2). These findings suggest that 1‐ to 2‐year‐old infants use distinct human face features to represent individuals across time and space. We discuss this evidence for race‐based individuation and related complexities of face identity in terms of implications for conceptual development for faces in the first years of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers may perceive pointing as an indication of infants' readiness to learn, thereby increasing their tendency to label objects regardless of the infant's gesture type and context. This was investigated in this study by tracking 35 infants at home at the ages of 11 and 13 months and observing their interactions with their mothers during object manipulation. We focused on four types of communicative gestures: typical giving gestures, gestures contingent on exploration, gestures contingent on play, and pointing. We analyzed maternal response tendencies, including affirmation, naming, discourse, and pretense. The results revealed that when infants reached the age of 13 months, they tripled their pointing production; in turn, the maternal response changed entirely, with naming becoming the preferred response to all types of gestures. Furthermore, when infants were 13 months old and offered an object contingent on play acts, mothers increased their pretense acts sevenfold. Based on the most informative responses to infants among those examined, we argue that an increase in the number of pointing gestures may gradually be associated with the establishment of the maternal perception that an infant is ready to learn and a subsequent increase in naming and pretense production by the mother. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Systematically evaluate the depth and quality of play recommendations provided in popular sources for parents of infants in the first year of life. Methods: This represents the second stage of a larger analysis of educational content available to parents. Two coders (>90% agreement) extracted and coded play activities from popular websites, applications, and books screened from a systematic online search. Depth of instruction variables were extracted. Activity quality was rated based on opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, and responsive communication. Results: 4370 play activities from 214 sources were analyzed. Activities were likely to suggest specific ages for infants and that a caregiver be present. Less than half of the activities incorporated toys or provided guidance about how to position or physically support infants. Activity quality was low; most activities did not explicitly encourage parents to provide opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, or quality communication. Conclusions: Parents may encounter a large number of play activities in popular sources, but the depth of instruction and quality of those activities could be improved. Provision of higher-quality education to parents may enhance parent-child play interactions to positively impact parent and child outcomes, especially for children at risk for delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Little is known about the normative courses of pregnancy‐related anxiety throughout pregnancy and their antecedents. We examined in a large scale pregnancy cohort which potentially distinct trajectories of pregnancy‐related anxiety across pregnancy can be identified, and which factors predict these trajectories. Methods: A general sample of pregnant women (n = 2928) from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort participated in this study. Several questionnaires were filled in at 14, 24, and 34 weeks of gestation, including the pregnancy‐related anxiety questionnaire‐revised as main outcome. Latent Growth Mixture Modeling was applied to identify the trajectories of pregnancy‐related anxiety across pregnancy, and t‐tests and chi‐quare tests were conducted to find antecedents of these trajectories. Results: Two distinct trajectories were identified: (1) a low symptoms group, N = 2594 (88.6%), with lower and slightly increasing levels of pregnancy‐related anxiety (2) a moderately‐high symptoms group, N = 334 (11.4%) reported higher and slightly decreasing levels of anxiety. Correlates of the moderately‐high anxious group included a lower monthly income, drinking alcohol or smoking in early pregnancy, more daily hassles and less joy, more early life adversities, younger age, primiparity, single parenthood, using depression medication, and having higher scores on depression and general anxiety. Conclusions: Although the majority of pregnant women fall within a low risk trajectory of pregnancy‐related anxiety, another group with consistently higher levels of pregnancy anxiety throughout pregnancy may need more clinical attention, as their high pregnancy‐related anxiety scores may indicate a risk profile that includes a variety of general and more pregnancy‐specific risk factors, which together can negatively affect fetal and infant development and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dynamic cellular and molecular adaptations in early life significantly impact health and disease. Upon birth, newborns are immediately challenged by their environment, placing urgent demands on the infant immune system. Adenosine deaminases (ADAs) are enzymatic immune modulators present in two isoforms - ADA-1 and ADA-2. Infants exhibit low ADA activity, resulting in high plasma adenosine concentrations and a consequent antiinflammatory/anti-Th1 bias. While longitudinal studies of plasma ADA have been conducted in infants in The Gambia (GAM), little is known regarding ADA trajectories in other parts of the world. Methods: Herein, we characterized plasma ADA activity in an infant cohort in Papua New Guinea (PNG; n=83) and compared to ontogeny of ADA activity in a larger cohort in GAM (n=646). Heparinized peripheral blood samples were collected at day of life (DOL) 0, DOL7, DOL30, and DOL128. Plasma ADA-1, ADA-2, and total ADA activities were measured by chromogenic assay. Results: Compared to GAM infants, PNG infants had significantly lower ADA-1 (0.9-fold), ADA-2 (0.42-fold), and total ADA (0.84-fold) activities at birth which converged by DOL30. Discussion: Overall, discovery of a distinct baseline and a consistent pattern of increasing plasma ADA activity in early life in two genetically and geographically distinct populations validates and extends previous findings on the robustness of early life immune ontogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: This study investigated the sequential mediating effects of parental material investment (MI) and time investment (TI) upon the correlation between family socioeconomic status (SES) and toddlers' development (TD). Data derived from a 2016 data set, including a sample of 1,316 toddlers based in 117 villages across 22 counties within northwestern China, were utilized. Parents completed the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III (BSID-III) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE). The mediation analysis revealed: (1) a significant positive correlation among family SES, parental material investment, time investment, and the development of toddlers aged 0–3 years; (2) family SES indirectly impacted toddlers' development through the singular mediating pathway of material investment significantly, and the single mediating path of time investment was found to be insignificant; and (3) both material investment and time investment were recognized as the sequential mediators between family SES and toddler development. Practice or Policy: The study's findings underscore the aspects of parental material and time investment that optimally support toddlers' development. These results may also guide the structure and implementation of family interventions and policies designed to reduce the developmental disparity among toddlers from families of differing SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digital technology is ubiquitous in the lives of many children and parents. To better understand any influence of technology use by infants, and mothers, on child development, technology use should be considered within the broader family system context in which children develop. This study aimed to investigate associations between infant and maternal technology use and infant 12-month development, taking into consideration other family factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from ORIGINS participants, collected at 12-months of age: maternal and child technology use (TechU-Q), sociodemographic factors (e.g. child sex, household income), parental mental health (DASS-21), and child development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire). Linear regression was used for analyses. Results: When family factors were considered, higher infant mobile touchscreen device (MTSD) use was associated with poorer infant development for gross motor, problem-solving, and total ASQ-3 scores. In contrast there were no associations between infant television (TV) watching or maternal technology use and total ASQ-3 scores. Higher maternal technology use was associated with higher infant technology use. Poorer maternal and paternal mental health were associated with poorer infant development. Poorer maternal mental health was also associated with higher infant TV watching and higher maternal MTSD use. Conclusion: There is a complex relationship between technology use, parental mental health and other family factors that together influence infant development. To improve infant development outcomes, less focus should be on infant or maternal technology use, and more on supporting the family as a whole, and parental mental health in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the predominant chronic lung disease in preterm infants, linked with various adverse long-term outcomes. Multiple prenatal and postnatal risk factors can impede lung development, leading to BPD. Current management of BPD relies heavily on pharmacotherapies and alterations in ventilatory strategies. However, these interventions only mitigate BPD symptoms without addressing underlying alveolar, vascular, structural, and functional deficiencies. Given the retarded lung development in infants with BPD and the limitations of existing modalities, new therapeutic approaches are imperative. The induced differentiation of stem/progenitor cells and the spatiotemporal expression patterns of growth factors associated with lung developmental processes are critical for lung development reactivation in BPD, which focuses on stimulating pulmonary vasculogenesis and alveolarization. This review summarizes the process of lung development and offers a comprehensive overview of advancements in therapies designed to reinitiate lung development in BPD. Furthermore, we assessed the potential of these therapies for maintaining lung homeostasis and effectively restoring pulmonary structure and function through stem/progenitor cells and growth factors, which have been widely researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning new information from others, called social learning, is one of the most fundamental types of learning from infancy. Developmental studies show that infants likely engage in social learning situations selectively and that social learning facilitates infant information processing. In this paper, we summarize how social learning functions support human learning from infancy focusing on two aspects of social learning; pedagogical learning and selective learning. We also provide an overview of the developmental process of social learning based on the findings of developmental research. This review suggests that the learning facilitation effects of pedagogical learning decrease with development, while the facilitation effects of selective learning are observed even in older ages. The differences in these learning facilitation effects are considered to be due to the differences in the utility of learning in uncertain environments. The findings of the studies imply the unique nature of human social learning and the critical role of social interactions in cognitive development. Understanding the development of social learning provides valuable insights into how infants learn and adapt in complex social environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bovine colostrum (BC) with liposomal delivery system (LDS) is a promising supplement to premature infant formula in absence of mother own milk. We propose that BC with LDS can target multiple etiological factors that threaten the developing retina, making premature infant less liable for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of BC with LDS in the prevention of ROP. Methods: This was a single center, randomized, controlled trial. Two hundred and eleven preterm infants of gestational age ≤ 32weeks were admitted to the NICU of Alexandria University Children Hospital, Egypt, and randomly allocated into either non-BC group (n = 105) or BC group (n = 106). Patients in BC group received 3.5 ml /kg/day of BC for 14 days. All patients were monitored for development of ROP, anemia, late onset sepsis (LOS), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), in addition to growth assessment. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors predicting ROP development. Results: Compared with the non-BC group, BC group was associated with a significantly lower incidence of ROP (5/100 vs. 16/100, respectively) with a p-value of 0.033. The administration of BC significantly decreased serum C- reactive protein (CRP) level and increased weight on day-14 of the study in comparison with the CRP level and birthweight at the beginning of study, with Cohen's D= -0.184, D = -2.246, respectively. Patients with suspected sepsis were significantly less in BC than non-BC group, p = 0.004. Patients with BC had significantly higher hemoglobin level on day-14 than non-BC-group, with median (IQR) 12.2 (11.0–13.9) and 11.7 (10.5–12.9), respectively. BC intake is one of factors that decreased development of ROP in univariate analysis. Nevertheless, weight gain and birth weight were the most significant factors affecting ROP development in multivariate-regression model. Conclusion: BC may reduce the incidence of ROP in preterm neonates aged ≤ 32 weeks. This might be due to keeping better Hb level and growth rate, as well as anti-inflammatory properties through its ability to decrease CRP level. Trial registration: This work was registered on 06/13/2022 in clinicaltrial.gov with ID no.: NCT05438680 and URL:https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05438680?term=NCT05438680&draw=2&rank=1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the factors influencing serum 25(OH)D3 levels and the effects of Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and VD supplementation on 25(OH)D3 levels and neuropsychobehavioral development in premature infants, to provide a theoretical basis for improving their prognosis. Physical examination, neuropsychobehavioral development and serum 25(OH)D3 levels were assessed regularly in 158 preterm infants supplemented with VD formulation. 25(OH)D3 levels were analyzed at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after birth. The Gesell neuropsychological development test was conducted at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after birth to obtain the developmental quotient (DQ). Based on the serum 25(OH)D3 levels at 42 days of age, the infants were divided into VDD and non-VDD groups. Preterm infants in the VDD group were supplemented with more VD until their 25(OH)D3 levels were normal, and were divided into sustained VDD (SVDD) and corrected VDD (CVDD) groups according to serum 25(OH)D3 levels at 3 months of age. Appropriate statistical methods were chosen to compare differences in 25(OH)D3 and DQ between or among different groups, screen for the factors influencing 25(OH)D3 levels in preterm infants at 42 days of age, and analyze the relationship between 25(OH)D3 and DQ. The 25(OH)D3 levels of preterm infants at 42 days of age were positively correlated with VD supplementation during pregnancy, and before 42 days after birth (P < 0.05). The 25(OH)D3 levels in preterm infants at 42 days and 3 months of age were positively correlated with the DQ levels at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of age (P < 0.05). The DQ level in the VDD group, especially SVDD group, was lower than that in CVDD and non-VDD groups at the same time point (P < 0.05). This research thus demonstrates that VD supplementations during pregnancy and after birth is a major factor affecting 25(OH)D3 levels in premature infants. Early VDD and SVDD can affect their neuropsychobehavioral development, and effective VD supplementation can gradually correct VDD and mitigate this influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Good social behavior in infancy was correlated to low autistic traits in toddlerhood. • Social behavior in infancy was positively correlated to IJA in toddlerhood. • Fine motor in infancy is predictive of autistic traits in general population. • Social behavior in infancy is predictive of autistic traits in general population. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Early diagnosis in the critical period is important for ASD children. Recent studies of neurodevelopmental behavioral features and joint attention in high-risk infants showed there are some special cues which can distinguish ASD from typical development infant. But the findings of high-risk population may not be applicable to the general population. It is necessary to "analogically" study the potential warning traits of ASD in infancy in the general population. We did a nested case-control study from June 2019 to November 2022 in Tianjin, China, including 76 general infants whom completed the neurodevelopmental evaluation, the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-23 (CHAT-23) screening, and eye tracking task. Social behavior quotient in infancy was negatively correlated to CHAT-23 total scores in toddlerhood. Social behavior quotient in infancy was positively correlated to initiating joint attention in toddlerhood. Regression model showed that high fine motor scale and social behaviour scale quotient in infancy were associated with an decreased risk of the total score of CHAT-23 ≥ 2 in toddlerhood. The Receiver operating characteristic curve showed the social behaviour in infancy alone and the combination of fine motor and social behaviour in infancy contributed to auxiliary diagnosis of higher level of autistic traits in toddlerhood. These findings suggest that Impaired development of fine motor and social behavior in infancy are potential warning features of high autistic traits in general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodevelopment is a highly intricate process, and early detection of abnormalities is critical for optimizing outcomes through timely intervention. Accurate and cost-effective diagnostic methods for neurological disorders, particularly in infants, remain a significant challenge due to the heterogeneity of data and the variability in neurodevelopmental conditions. This study recruited twelve parent–infant pairs, with infants aged 3 to 12 months. Approximately 25 min of 2D video footage was captured, documenting natural play interactions between the infants and toys. We developed a novel, open-source method to classify and analyse infant movement patterns using deep learning techniques, specifically employing a transformer-based fusion model that integrates multiple video features within a unified deep neural network. This approach significantly outperforms traditional methods reliant on individual video features, achieving an accuracy of over 90%. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis revealed that the pose estimation contributed far less to the model's output than the pre-trained transformer and convolutional neural network (CNN) components, providing key insights into the relative importance of different feature sets. By providing a more robust, accurate and low-cost analysis of movement patterns, our work aims to enhance the early detection and potential prediction of neurodevelopmental delays, whilst providing insight into the functioning of the transformer-based fusion models of diverse video features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Purpose: Iron deficiency, alongside anaemia, is one of the most significant global health concern with potentially long-lasting implications on child development and health outcomes. The period of infancy represents a crucial phase of central nervous system maturation, rendering infants particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of iron deficiency. It is therefore crucial to pay close attention to this issue. The aim of this review is to elucidate the neurological implications of iron deficiency in infancy and emphasize the necessity of implementing preventive strategies to safeguard child development. State of Knowledge: Iron deficiency in infancy can result in impairments of brain development. Extensive research highlights the influence of this micronutrient on various physiological processes, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters, neuronal metabolism, myelination, synaptogenesis and gene expression. Furthermore, iron deficiency during infancy is associated with adverse developmental outcomes, including cognitive, motor, and socioemotional deficits. Long-term follow-up studies have elucidated the enduring neurological consequences of iron deficiency in infancy, with effects extending into childhood and beyond. Summary: Given that the changes that occur during the infantile period are often irreversible and have long-lasting implications for future development, it is of the utmost importance to prioritize prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactoferrin, lysozyme, and gelatin are three common basic proteins known for their ability to interact with acidic proteins (lactoglobulin, ovalbumin, casein, etc.) and form various supramolecular structures. Their basic nature makes them highly promising for interaction with other acidic proteins to form heteroprotein complex coacervation (HPCC) with a wide range of applications. This review extensively examines the structure, properties, and preparation methods of these basic proteins and delves into the internal and external factors influencing the formation of HPCC, including pH, ionic strength, mixing ratio, total protein concentration, temperature, and inherent protein properties. The applications of different HPCCs based on these three basic proteins are discussed, including the encapsulation of bioactive molecules, emulsion stabilization, protein separation and extraction, nanogel formation, and the development of formulas for infants. Furthermore, the challenges and issues that are encountered in the formation of heteroprotein complexes are addressed and summarized, shedding light on the complexities and considerations involved in utilizing HPCC technology in practical applications. By harnessing the basic proteins to interact with other proteins and to form complex coacervates, new opportunities arise for the development of functional food products with enhanced nutritional profiles and functional attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women experiencing substance use during their pregnancies or after the birth of a child report being fearful of losing their children based on care, stigmatized when seeking assistance, and barriers to care such as having to provide the same information to different providers, and having to repeat their lived experiences with substance use in detail. Particularly these service barriers can be confusing, complicated, and difficult to follow, which could lead to non-compliance or not seeking services. Objectives: We evaluated components of a service coordination program for women experiencing substance use, their children, and larger families who help with caregiving. We examined stakeholder interest in the program, feasibility providing services over time, and initial program effectiveness. Design: Participant enrollment and outcomes as well as service coordination activities provided over a 4-year period was gathered across three demonstration site locations (a birthing hospital, reunification program, and home visiting program). Methods: Program information was gathered from needs assessment data, health survey data from enrolled caregivers and infants, training evaluations, and budget recordings of direct aid. In this mixed method design, we examined potential differences between baseline and the last assessment for women and children enrolled in the program. We also utilized univariate analyses of variance to examine the main effects of maternal and infant characteristics on final maternal and infant outcomes. Results: Three sites enrolled 182 women and families for program services. Patient navigators provided direct aid, training, goal setting, and service coordination and planning. Families remained in the program, on average, 655 days and were satisfied with the services received. Respondents thought the program elements were easy to implement within the rural setting. The program effectively addressed basic needs, violence (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.34 (0.05–0.53)), infant development (p < 0.02; η2 = 0.51 (0.13–0.61)), and maternal depression (p < 0.05; η2 = 0.9 (0.00–0.22)). Select outcomes did differ by site. Conclusion: A service coordination model utilizing a patient navigator role to coordinate client services coupled with an approach that serves the infant and caregiver needs was feasible and desirable by all stakeholders within a rural setting. Service coordination effectively impacted select caregiver and infant outcomes. Plain language summary: Study using various reports from women who have, or still are, using substances, their family members, and providers about a service coordination structure designed to complement existing services for women and families in the rural setting. Why was the study done? Services for women who have, or still use, substances and their families are limited in rural settings. When they do exist, they are often disjointed, duplicative, and difficult to navigate. We hypothesized that a service coordination program with a key role available to help families navigate services would improve caregiver and family outcomes in many areas. What did the researchers do? The research team identified specific services offered in one program over the past five years. The program was given to women and families who had infants two years or younger and lived in rural communities. Caregivers and providers offered feedback about their experiences in the program. Caregiver and infant health were assessed and used to see if the program had a positive impact. What did researchers find? 182 families successfully enrolled in the program and stayed involved for an average of two years. Families and providers thought the program was easy to provide and navigate. They valued the role of the patient navigator and money offered to pay for essentials, if needed, was thought to be a key benefit, especially during COVID. What do the findings mean? Families may experience greater benefits from services if they have support for daily needs, when crises occur, someone to help navigate multiple services, and access to information when needed. These services are easy to provide and could be offered in rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 19-month-old male with bilateral microphthalmia and left coloboma of the iris evaluated in the outpatient Genetics Clinic. Topics discussed include a strong family history of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in the maternal lineage, genetic causes of colobomas and microphthalmias, and a published report of a patient with a 16p13.11 duplication and coloboma.

Background: Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) form a heterogeneous group, with respect to severity, etiology, proximal causes, speech error characteristics, and response to treatment. Infants develop speech and language in interaction with neurological maturation and general perceptual, motoric, and cognitive skills in a social-emotional context. Purpose: After a brief introduction into psycholinguistic models of speech production and levels of causation, in this review article, we present an in-depth overview of mechanisms and processes, and the dynamics thereof, which are crucial in typical speech development. These basic mechanisms and processes are: (a) neurophysiological motor refinement, that is, the maturational articulatory mechanisms that drive babbling and the more differentiated production of larger speech patterns; (b) sensorimotor integration, which forms the steering function from phonetics to phonology; and (c) motor hierarchy and articulatory phonology describing the gestural organization of syllables, which underlie fluent speech production. These dynamics have consequences for the diagnosis and further analysis of SSD in children. We argue that current diagnostic classification systems do not do justice to the multilevel, multifactorial, and interactive character of the underlying mechanisms and processes. This is illustrated by a recent Dutch study yielding distinct performance profiles among children with SSD, which allows for a dimensional interpretation of underlying processing deficits. Conclusions: Analyses of mainstream treatments with respect to the treatment goals and the speech mechanisms addressed show that treatment programs are quite transparent in their aims and approach and how they contribute to remediating specific deficits or mechanisms. Recent studies into clinical reasoning reveal that the clinical challenge for speech-language pathologists is how to select the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time for each individual child with SSD. We argue that a process-oriented approach has merits as compared to categorical diagnostics as a toolbox to aid in the interpretation of the speech profile in terms of underlying deficits and to connect these to a specific intervention approach and treatment target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the significance of ground-based movements in somatic practices, highlighting their role in enhancing physical activity, emotional well-being, and body awareness, particularly during challenging times. Topics include the benefits of non-patterned movements on the ground, the concept of developmental movement, and the Nia 5 Stages as a framework for integrating these practices into daily life.

To assess if the impacts of prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) on neonatal physical development including birth weight and body length vary by trimesters, and to explore the mediating effect of sleep quality in the relationships. A total of 2778 pregnant women were included from the Shanghai Maternal‐Child Pairs Cohort. PNMS and sleep quality were measured in the first trimester (12–16 gestational weeks) and third trimester (32–36 gestational weeks) using the Life Event Scale for Pregnant Women (LESPW) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. And total LESPW scores were classified into three groups: high stress (≥75th percentile), medium stress (≥25th and <75th percentile), and low stress (<25th percentile). Multiple linear and logistic regressions were employed to examine the associations between PNMS and birth weight, and bootstrap were utilized to explore the mediating effects of maternal sleep. Higher (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 1.521; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.104–2.096) and medium (aOR = 1.421; 95% CI, 1.071–1.885) PNMS and stress from subjective events (aOR = 1.334; 95% CI, 1.076–1.654) in the first trimester were significantly associated with elevated risk for large for gestational age. Maternal severe negative objective events stress (OE3) in the third trimester were negatively associated with birth weight (β = −0.667; 95% CI, −1.047∼−0.287), and maternal sleep latency during this period acted as a mediator in the association (indirect effect: β = −0.0144; 95% CI, −0.0427∼−0.0003). Besides, a significant negative correlation between total LESPW score (β = −0.022; 95% CI, −0.038∼−0.006; per 100 score) and body length in the third trimester was also observed. The impact of PNMS on neonatal birth weight varies by stress types and exposure timing. Prolonged maternal sleep latency in the third trimester correlated with lower birth weight, and mediating the link of OE3 and birth weight, which might indicate a critical period of vulnerability to the effects of PNMS on neonatal physical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to (a) provide quantitative data on the growth of levator veli palatini (LVP), velopharyngeal (VP), and craniofacial dimensions in children under 12 months while controlling for corrected age and sex and (b) compare variability within age and sex groups. Method: Magnetic resonance imaging scans of 75 infants between 0 and 12 months were measured and divided into four age groups. These data were obtained as part of a larger retrospective study. Following exclusion criteria, scans were analyzed, and dependent variables were obtained. Results: There was a statistically significant (p < .0001) difference between corrected age groups on LVP muscle, VP, and craniofacial variables while controlling for sex. Significant growth effects were observed for LVP length (p < .0001), extravelar length (p < .0001), intravelar length (p = .048), midline thickness (p = .0001), origin-origin distance (p < .0001), velar length (p < .0001), velar thickness (p = .003), nasion-sella turcica distance (p < .0001), sella turcica-basion distance (p < .0001), and hard palate length (p < .0001). Significant sex effects were observed for pharyngeal depth (p = .026) and effective VP ratio (p = .014). When age was treated as a continuous variable, similar results were observed for all variables except pharyngeal depth. Within-group comparisons revealed the most variability occurs between 3 and 5.99 months for LVP and craniofacial variables and between 9 and 11.99 months of age for VP variables. Male participants demonstrated greater variability than female participants. Conclusions: Differences were observed in LVP, VP, and craniofacial variables in children under 12 months while controlling for sex. Males demonstrated larger values and greater variability for most variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered motor and social-communicative abilities in infancy have been linked to later ASD diagnosis. Most diagnostic instruments for ASD cannot be utilized until 12 months, and the average child is diagnosed substantially later. Imitation combines motor and social-communicative skills and is commonly atypical in infants at risk for ASD. However, few measures have been developed to assess infant imitation clinically. One barrier to the diagnostic age gap of ASD is accessibility of screening and diagnostic services. Utilization of caregiver report to reliably screen for ASD mitigates such barriers and could aid in earlier detection. The present study developed and validated a caregiver-report measure of infant imitation at 4, 6, and 9 months and explored the relationship between caregiver-reported imitation and motor abilities with later ASD risk. Participants (N = 571) were caregivers of term and preterm infants recruited as part of a large multi-site study of PediaTrac™, a web-based tool for monitoring and tracking infant development. Caregivers completed online surveys and established questionnaires on a schedule corresponding to well-child visits from birth to 18 months, including the M-CHAT-R/F at 18 months. Distinct imitation factors were derived from PediaTrac at 4, 6, and 9 months via factor analysis. The results supported validity of the imitation factors via associations with measures of infant communication (CSBS; ASQ). Imitation and motor skills at 9 months predicted 18-month ASD risk over and above gestational age. Implications for assessment of infant imitation, detecting ASD risk in the first year, and contributing to access to care are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to theoretically reconsider body image development in infants from a phenomenological viewpoint of the body. Because body image is defined as the mental picture of one's whole body, our main question is how we obtain the perspective to view our own body as a whole in constituting body image. First, focusing on the development of mirror self‐cognition in the first 2 years of life, we find that this perspective derives from that of others in embodied interactions with infants. We then trace the process whereby others' perspectives appear in dyadic interactions between infants and caregivers. Since joint attention is established around 9 months, this dyadic interaction is transformed into a triadic relationship between the infant, caregiver, and object, which is experienced as "secondary intersubjectivity." Infant body image is constituted gradually within this intersubjective context. Based on phenomenological descriptions, we propose that the hands are the first organ and the face the last organ to be incorporated into one's body image. We conclude that the constitution of body image is not merely a sensory task of integrating proprioceptive and visual images of the body, but a social task of internalizing others' perspectives regarding one's own body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited data on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy on newborn outcomes are available. This study aimed to characterize and compare the clinical outcomes of newborns from women with and without the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during late pregnancy. Method: This was a retrospective cohort study of women who were either infected or not infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus during late pregnancy. The neonatal complications associated with COVID-19-positive pregnant women were investigated and analyzed. Results: Among 2063 pregnant women over 28 weeks of gestation, 1.2%, 3.3%, and 18.7% of patients with multiple pregnancies, abnormal fetal positions, and lack of maternal or neonatal follow-up data, respectively, were excluded. Patients who were COVID-19-negative (60.6%) and -positive (16.2%) remained for further analysis. SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly associated with higher SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in newborns (0% vs. 1.49%, P < 0.01) and longer duration of hospital stay (6.39 ± 2.2 vs. 4.92 ± 1.6, P < 0.01). However, comparing neonatal complications, including Apgar score, preterm birth, low birth weight, cesarean section rate, newborn hearing, neonatal congenital heart defects, and height and weight compliance rate of 6-month-old children, between non-infected and infected participants did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection in late pregnancy has no significant impact on neonatal outcomes. After six months of follow-up of the neonates, we observed that SARS-CoV-2 infection in the third trimester of pregnancy did not affect their growth and development. Hopefully, these findings will guide management strategies and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current research separately analyzed the connection between postpartum depression, fatigue, sleep and infant development. However, depression, fatigue and sleep quality often coexisted as adverse symptoms in postpartum women and influenced infant development together. This study explored the maternal postpartum symptoms on infant growth. Methods: Our study included 224 pairs of singleton full‐term mothers and their infants who underwent routine pediatric outpatient clinics. Latent profile analysis was applied to identify the latent classes based on mothers' postpartum depression, fatigue and sleep profile characteristics. We evaluated the maternal adverse symptoms and infant development using multivariable logistic regressions. Results: Totally, 224 pairs of eligible mothers (28.85 ± 4.43 years) and infants (30.93 ± 3.26 days) participated in this study. Latent profile analysis identified 3 latent groups: mild (58.04%), moderate (34.37%), and severe (7.59%) postpartum adverse symptoms. Postpartum adverse symptoms were associated with delayed development in the baby's motor level (χ2 = 6.572, p =.037) and weight‐for‐length (χ2 = 9.652, p =.008). After controlling for mother and infant related factors, postpartum adverse symptoms remained a risk factor for infant motor level (odds ratio [OR]: 4.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–15.08) and weight‐for‐length (OR: 5.53; 95% CI: 1.55–19.74). Conclusions: Maternal postpartum depression, fatigue and sleep quality are associated with infant development. Clinically, mothers with these symptoms should be intervened timely to avoid the aggravation of maternal symptoms, which affect baby's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the timing and characteristics of midwives' hands‐on interruptions of newborns' behavior while in skin‐to‐skin contact during the first hour after birth and to elucidate the relationship between these hands‐on interruptions and the incidence of nipple pain during the first 4 days postpartum. Methods: An observational pilot study was conducted at a Baby‐Friendly® hospital in Japan from 2016 to 2018. Iterative analysis of video recordings from a larger study of the behavior of newborns while skin‐to‐skin with their mothers in the first hour after birth found 16 full‐term newborns who were born vaginally and that met the inclusion criteria of a midwife's hands‐on intervention (HOI) interrupting the infant's progress toward breast self‐attachment. The timing of the HOI and the stage of the newborn's progress through Widström's 9 Stages was noted by two research assistants who had been blinded to the medical records. The degree of nipple pain after breastfeeding was self‐evaluated by mothers each day during their hospitalization. All data were statistically analyzed. Results: Interrupting the infant's progressive behaviors in the first hour after birth by midwives' hands‐on "help" to breastfeed, may increase nipple pain during the 4 days after birth. One hundred percent of the mothers reported nipple pain in the postpartum with the highest pain reports occurring on day 4. Conclusion: Interrupting skin‐to‐skin contact with HOI does not decrease the incidence of nipple pain during the first days postpartum. HOI for newborn infants was not shown to support breastfeeding in the early postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/BackgroundDesign/MethodsResultsConclusionRoutine third-trimester ultrasonography is increasingly conducted to screen for foetal growth restriction (FGR) and reduce adverse perinatal and child neurodevelopmental outcomes using timely obstetric management. While it did not reduce adverse perinatal outcomes in previous trials, evidence regarding its association with child neurodevelopmental outcome is absent. We examined whether routine third-trimester ultrasonography is positively associated with child developmental and behavioural/emotional outcomes compared to usual care.Dutch mothers with a low-risk pregnancy participating in a subsample (n = 1070) of a nationwide cluster-randomised trial reported infant (age 6 months) and toddler (age 28 months) developmental milestones (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) and toddlers’ internalising and externalising problems (Child Behavior Checklist). Usual care (n = 380) comprised selective ultrasonography. The intervention strategy (n = 690) included two routine third-trimester ultrasounds next to usual care. Both strategies applied the same interdisciplinary protocol for FGR detection and management.Adjusted linear mixed-level regressions revealed that routine third-trimester ultrasonography was positively but modestly related to z-standardised infant developmental milestones at 6-month follow-up, B = 0.20, 95%CI [0.07; 0.32], p = 0.003, compared to usual care. At 28-month follow-up, these strategies did not differ in child developmental outcome and internalising and externalising problems.Routine third-trimester ultrasonography was positively but modestly associated with infant development. In toddlerhood, routine ultrasonography was not related to child developmental and behavioural/emotional outcomes. Overall, these findings do not support the implementation of routine third-trimester ultrasonography for low-risk pregnant women for reasons concerning children’s early neurodevelopmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Literature has shown that the intergenerational transmission of cognitive abilities is stronger for children raised in more advantaged environments. However, there has never been an empirical investigation of this pattern in China. This study examines differences in the intergenerational transmission of cognitive capabilities among mothers and young children in urban and rural subpopulations in China and investigates whether these differences are driven by differences in parental investment in the home environment. Design/methodology/approach: Data collected from randomly selected 6- to 36-month-old babies and their mothers in a Northwestern province in China was used. Child capabilities were assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (3rd edition). Maternal intelligence quotient (IQ) scores were assessed with the Raven's Progressive Matrices test. The non-parametric regression methods were used to construct the factor scores of child capabilities. The ordinary least squares (OLS) models were employed to investigate the relations between child cognition, maternal IQ and parental investment. Findings: In urban households, where most children are raised in a positive home environment, child cognitive scores are strongly correlated with maternal IQ. In rural households, where parental investments are lower and more variable, child cognitive scores are not significantly correlated with maternal IQ but are predicted by differences in parental investments in a cognitively stimulating home environment. Originality/value: This study provides a unique contribution by utilizing rural–urban disparities in China as a unique natural experiment to investigate differences in the transmission of cognitive capabilities across socioeconomic status (SES). It also provides the first empirical evidence of SES differences in the intergenerational transmission of cognitive capabilities in a developing country. This study reveals that intergenerational mother–child cognition associations are disrupted by poor parental investment in rural households but not in urban households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early intervention and parental education for preemies are limited in some low-income countries. Thus, this study aimed to assess whether daily tummy time (TT) associated with usual care (UC) enhances motor and cognitive development in preemies from low-income countries. The main and secondary aim was to assess prone head elevation (PHE) and motor and cognitive functions, respectively. Methods: Thirty-one preemies with a mean gestational age at birth of 33.3 ± 1.6 weeks and weighing <2,500 g were included and 18 completed all assessments. Parents from the TT group were asked to perform TT with their preemies for at least 20 min during daily activities and playtime. Motor and cognitive functions were assessed by a blinded examiner using the motor and cognitive composite scores of Bayley-III after two and four months of corrected age. PHE was given by the angle from the tragus of the ear to the supporting surface of the infant; measurements were obtained using the Kinovea® software at baseline, after two, three, and four months of corrected age. Results: The Bayley-III motor composite score of the TT group was higher than the UC group after two and four months of corrected age. The PHE angle increased over time but did not differ between groups. Discussion: Nevertheless, TT expanded the perspective of preemies to explore their bodies and environment, favoring the stimuli for motor and cognitive patterns. The loss of participants (31%) was one of the limitations of the study, illustrating the challenge of providing continued early interventions to preemies from low-income countries. In this sense, TT practice is a home intervention that may improve motor and cognitive function of preemies immediately after hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]