Early Life Predictors of Socio-Emotional Development in a Sample of Egyptian Infants

Abstract

IntroductionEmotional problems are amongst the most critical concerns to be intentionally handled to enhance the wellbeing and development of children.ObjectiveTo determine the predictors of socio-emotional development of Egyptian infants related to infant feeding practices, aspects of infant and maternal health and socioeconomic status.Subjects and MethodsA cross-sectional comparative study included 322 breast fed, 240 bottle fed and 93 mixed fed infants, from 6–24 months of age, who were enrolled in the Well–Baby Clinic of the National Research Centre and from pediatric outpatient facilities in urban Cairo. Assessment of socio-emotional development was performed using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley III). Detailed maternal and infant history was recorded. Levels of serum zinc, copper, iron, vitamin B12 and complete blood count (CBC) were assessed in a subsample of 193 infants.ResultsThe risk of having below average socio-emotional composite score was nearly two and half times among formula-fed infants than among breast-fed infants. By binary logistical regression analysis, predictors of below average socio-emotional score were a lower serum zinc value, being formula fed during the first half-year and introduction of complementary food before the age of six months (p< 0.05).ConclusionExclusive breastfeeding and to a lesser extent mixed feeding during the first half year is correlated with above average socio-emotional development. Maternal education and zinc status were also determinants of better infant mental health. Our endeavors ought to be directed towards integrated interventions addressing multiple risks to children’s development.

Appropriate age range for introduction of complementary feeding into an infant's diet

“…Endpoints/constructs which were investigated in single studies only, i.e. fine and gross motor skills alone (Jonsdottir et al., ) and socio‐emotional skills (Metwally et al., ) were not considered further as they cannot be used to determine an appropriate age range of introduction of CFs.…”

Trends and factors associated with complementary feeding practices in Ethiopia from 2005 to 2016

“…The short‐term adverse health outcomes may include stunted growth (Lassi, Das, Zahid, Imdad, & Bhutta, ), increased risk of diarrhoeal diseases (Ogbo et al, ; Ogbo, Page, Idoko, Claudio, & Agho, ), micronutrient deficiencies, and increased risk of mortality (Ahmed, Prendiville, & Narayan, ; Black et al, ). In the long‐term, inappropriate complementary feeding can negatively affect cognitive development (Dewey & Adu‐Afarwuah, ; Woldehanna, Behrman, & Araya, ), work capacity (Martins et al, ), childbirth outcomes (Victora et al, ), and social–emotional interactions (Metwally et al, )…”

“…The short-term adverse health outcomes may include stunted growth (Lassi, Das, Zahid, Imdad, & Bhutta, 2013), increased risk of diarrhoeal diseases (Ogbo et al, 2017;Ogbo, Page, Idoko, Claudio, & Agho, 2016), micronutrient deficiencies, and increased risk of mortality (Ahmed, Prendiville, & Narayan, 2016;Black et al, 2013). In the long-term, inappropriate complementary feeding can negatively affect cognitive development (Dewey & Adu-Afarwuah, 2008;Woldehanna, Behrman, & Araya, 2017), work capacity (Martins et al, 2011), childbirth outcomes (Victora et al, 2008), and social-emotional interactions (Metwally et al, 2016) The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recommend the introduction of adequate, safe, and appropriate complementary foods for infants aged 6-8 months to meet nutritional and developmental needs (WHO, 2009;WHO & UNICEF, 2003). However, reports from low-and middleincome countries (LMICs) indicated that many infants and young children are not receiving appropriate complementary foods (Aguayo, 2017;Black et al, 2013).…”

Social Emotional Development in the Chinese Children with Cerebral Palsy Aged at 1 to 3 Years and the Associated Risk Factors: A Cross-sectional Study

“…Some previous studies found that maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy had a negative impact on the children's intelligence and personality development. The children grown up with their families with parental psychological abnormalities have a higher risk of social emotional behavior problems, even if parental psychological problems are within the subclinical range [6,29,30]. Meanwhile, parental education level, related to a variety of social family factors as parenting style, family atmosphere and economic condition, may have a greater impact on the children's emotional disorders.…”

“…Emotional sociality is the original form of socialization of infant, which will mature as individual psychology develops. Besides the in uence by infants' own factors (gender, age, whether they are only children, and personal temperament), the acquired family factors as the harmonious extent of parental marital relationship, the family's nancial status, the parental rearing styles, the educational level, and psychological and mental conditions are also play an important role that synergistically affects the development of infants' emotional sociality [6][7][8].…”