scholarly journals The Impact of Maternal Anxiety on Early Child Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Jeličić ◽  
Mirjana Sovilj ◽  
Ivana Bogavac ◽  
And̄ela Drobnjak ◽  
Olga Gouni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Emotional Development ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
General Linear Model ◽  
Maternal Anxiety ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
The Impact

Background: Maternal prenatal anxiety is among important public health issues as it may affect child development. However, there are not enough studies to examine the impact of a mother's anxiety on the child's early development, especially up to 1 year.Objective: The present prospective cohort study aimed to examine whether maternal trait anxiety, perceived social support, and COVID-19 related fear impacted speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development in 12 months old Serbian infants during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This follow-up study included 142 pregnant women (Time 1) and their children at 12 months (Time 2). Antenatal maternal anxiety and children's development were examined. Maternal anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Child speech-language, sensory-motor, and socio-emotional development were assessed using the developmental scale in the form of an online questionnaire that examined the early psychophysiological child development. Information on socioeconomic factors, child and maternal demographics, clinical factors, and perceived fear of COVID-19 viral infection were collected. Multivariable General Linear Model analysis was conducted, adjusted for demographic, clinical, and coronavirus prenatal experiences, maternal prenatal anxiety levels, perceived social support, speech-language, motor skills, and cognitive and socio-emotional development at the infants' age of 12 months.Results: The study revealed the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal trait anxiety. The association between selected independent factors and infants' development was found in a demographically unified sample except for employment and the number of children. There was a correlation between all observed developmental functions. Univariate General Linear model statistical analysis indicated that linear models with selected independent factors and covariates could account for 30.9% (Cognition) up to 40.6% (Speech-language) of variability in developmental functions. It turned out that two-way and three-way interactions had a dominant role on models, and STAI-T Level and COVID-19 related fear were present in all interaction terms.Conclusion: Our findings reveal important determinants of child developmental outcomes and underline the impact of maternal anxiety on early child development. These findings lay the groundwork for the following interdisciplinary research on pregnancy and child development to facilitate and achieve positive developmental outcomes and maternal mental health.

scholarly journals Effect of antenatal maternal anxiety on the reactivity of fetal cerebral circulation to auditory stimulation, and early child development

2019 ◽  
Vol 147 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Vujovic ◽  
Mirjana Sovilj ◽  
Snezana Plesinac ◽  
Marijana Rakonjac ◽  
Ljiljana Jelicic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
Pulsatility Index ◽  
Auditory Stimulation ◽  
Maternal Anxiety ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
High State ◽  
Early Child

Introduction/Objective. Antenatal maternal anxiety (AMA) can have negative impact on a child?s preand postnatal development. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of AMA on changes in fetal blood flow through the middle cerebral artery (MCA) after acoustic stimulation, on birth outcome, and on early child development. Methods. Forty-three women in the third trimester of pregnancy and their children were enrolled into a longitudinal prospective study. The AMA (state and trait) was assessed using Spielberger?s questionnaire. The MCA blood flow was assessed using Doppler ultrasound before and after the defined acoustic stimulus. The data regarding neonatal body weight, Apgar score, first step and word appearance, estimated speech?language (ESLD), sensory-motor (ESMD), and social-emotional (ESED) development at the age of three were collected. Results. Fetuses from mothers with high state and trait anxiety had slower reaction time and higher relative pulsatility index after defined auditory stimulation. There are more preterm deliveries, lower scores on ESLD, ESMD, and ESED in mothers with high State-Trait Anxiety Inventory personality trait (STAI-T) compared to low. There is a negative correlation between reaction time, relative pulsatility index, STAI-T and ESLD. Conclusions. High levels of antenatal maternal trait anxiety could have a negative effect on both fetal reactivity to sound stimulation and early child development.

Revised standards of proficiencies for midwives: an opportunity to influence childhood health?

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-154
Author(s):  
Samantha Meegan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Early Child ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The first 1 000 days of life are critical during early child development, yet the significance of this time and the impact on childhood health have only recently been recognised within the UK. In early 2020, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) released revised standards of proficiency for midwives. These draw on the evidence-base generated by recent research developments within public health, providing the first update of midwifery standards for a decade. This article critically explores the main aspects within the NMC's future midwife proficiencies that relate to the public health component of the midwifery role, and will examine how these factors can equip midwives of the future to support women, their babies and families within the fundamental early days of life.

Double Jeopardy: The Impact of Poverty on Early Child Development

1988 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1227-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Parker ◽  
Steven Greer ◽  
Barry Zuckerman
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Double Jeopardy ◽  
Early Child ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals The impact of postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms on child development: a population-based, 2-year follow-up study

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Garthus-Niegel ◽  
S. Ayers ◽  
J. Martini ◽  
T. von Soest ◽  
M. Eberhard-Gran
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Emotional Development ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Infant Temperament ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Social Emotional Development ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Postpartum Ptsd ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundAgainst the background of very limited evidence, the present study aimed to prospectively examine the impact of maternal postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on four important areas of child development, i.e. gross motor, fine motor, communication and social–emotional development.MethodThis study is part of the large, population-based Akershus Birth Cohort. Data from the hospital's birth record as well as questionnaire data from 8 weeks and 2 years postpartum were used (n = 1472). The domains of child development that were significantly correlated with PTSD symptoms were entered into regression analyses. Interaction analyses were run to test whether the influence of postpartum PTSD symptoms on child development was moderated by child sex or infant temperament.ResultsPostpartum PTSD symptoms had a prospective relationship with poor child social–emotional development 2 years later. This relationship remained significant even when adjusting for confounders such as maternal depression and anxiety or infant temperament. Both child sex and infant temperament moderated the association between maternal PTSD symptoms and child social–emotional development, i.e. with increasing maternal PTSD symptom load, boys and children with a difficult temperament were shown to have comparatively higher levels of social–emotional problems.ConclusionsExamining four different domains of child development, we found a prospective impact of postpartum PTSD symptoms on children's social–emotional development at 2 years of age. Our findings suggest that both boys and children with an early difficult temperament may be particularly susceptible to the adverse impact of postpartum PTSD symptoms. Additional studies are needed to further investigate the mechanisms at work.

scholarly journals Effect of breast feeding on child development: At birth and beyond

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saria Tasnim
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Social Adaptation ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

The effect of breast feeding on infant health and development has been the subject of scientific enquiry for decades. The association between breast feeding and early child development is also a complex issue. It has been found that determining the true influence of breastfeeding on child development is difficult for several reasons. This review has been made to explore the effect of ever breast feeding and duration of breast feeding on intelligent quotient, psychomotor and social development of the child during childhood and beyond. Breast feeding has positive effects on cognitive development of infant and it is more pronounced in premature infants. Breast feeding infants have higher intelligence quotient (IQ) than non-breast fed. The amount of mutual touch, tactile stimulation and mother’s gaze to the infant are significantly elevated during breastfeeding and this has a positive influence on the child’s psychological development. The impact of breast feeding on cognitive development, behavior, social adaptation and understanding of the infant needs to be emphasized during the promotion of breast feeding and early child development programs.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/seajph.v4i1.21831 South East Asia Journal of Public Health Vol.4(1) 2014: 4-8

scholarly journals Developmental outcomes of an individualised complementary feeding intervention for stunted children: a substudy from a larger randomised controlled trial in Guatemala

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e000314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Martinez ◽  
Sayra Cardona ◽  
Patricia Rodas ◽  
Meri Lubina ◽  
Ana Gonzalez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
The Impact

ObjectiveStunting is a common cause of early child developmental delay; Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of stunting globally. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of an intensive community health worker-led complementary feeding intervention on early child development in Guatemala. We hypothesised that the intervention would improve child development over usual care.DesignA substudy from a larger individually randomised (1:1 allocation ratio), parallel-group superiority trial, with blinding of study staff collecting outcomes data.SettingRural, indigenous Maya communities in Guatemala.Participants210 stunted children (height-for-age z-score ≤−2.5) aged 6–24 months, previously randomised to usual care (106) or an intensive complementary feeding intervention (104). 84 in the intervention and 91 in the usual care arm agreed to participate.InterventionsCommunity health workers conducted monthly home visits for 6 months, providing usual care or individualised complementary feeding education.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcomes were change in z-scores for the subscales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), Third Edition.Results100 individuals were included in the final analysis, 47 in the intervention and 53 in the usual care arm. No statistically significant differences in age-adjusted scores between the arms were observed for any subscale. However, improvements within-subjects in both arms were observed (median duration between measurements 189 days (IQR 182–189)). Mean change for subscales was 0.45 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.67) z-scores in the intervention, and 0.43 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.61) in the usual care arm.ConclusionsAn intensive complementary feeding intervention did not significantly improve developmental outcomes more than usual care in stunted, indigenous Guatemalan children. However, both interventions had significant positive impacts on developmental outcomes.Trial registration numberNCT02509936.StageResults.

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