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Biomedical subjects

A Scher

Publications and source records attributed to A Scher.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Locomotion and nightwaking.

OBJECTIVE: In this study we addressed the association between two major achievements of infancy: independent locomotion and 'sleeping through the night'. METHODS: Mothers of 107 healthy infants aged between five and eight months completed a sleep questionnaire and a motor checklist. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Infants who were already crawling had more bedtime difficulties and nightwaking than did pre-crawlers. Among 7- and 8-month-old infants, locomotion predicted 17% of nightwaking variance, after controlling for age and gender. In discussing the developmental implications of locomotion we suggest that crawling may not only 'broaden the mind' but also 'cost' sleep. More studies, across time, on how motor development and sleep-wake regulation interrelate are recommended.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Attachment and sleep: a study of night waking in 12-month-old infants.

Sleep regulation was examined from a mother-child relational perspective. Although the link between sleep and attachment has been previously discussed, empirical support is rather limited. This report, which is a part of a longitudinal investigation of sleep in infancy, examines the association between the child's sleep pattern and mother-infant attachment in 94 mother-infant dyads. At 12 months each dyad participated in the Strange Situation procedure; 77% were securely attached. Mothers' description of the infant's fussiness was not found to predict the attachment pattern, but was associated with the sleep habits. It was found that 55% of the secure and 60% of the ambivalent children were described as night wakers. To a sub-group of 37 infants, a sleep monitor (actigraph) was provided for two nights' recordings. The frequency of the objective awakenings was higher than what mothers reported but similar for the secure and insecure infants. The findings confirm that night waking at the end of the first year is a common developmental phenomenon. Among this group of non-risk infants, sleep characteristics were only marginally associated with the quality of the child's attachment relationship.

Female↗
PubMed2000

Excerpts from Joseph Stiglitz's speech to the World Bank, April 1999.

The Journal has published several articles critical of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. These articles have shown the damage caused by the neoliberal policies advocated by these agencies to the health and quality of life of the people in countries where such policies are carried out. Published here are excerpts of a speech given by Joseph Stiglitz, senior economist of the World Bank, in which he finally recognizes the damage these policies have caused in Russia, where life expectancy has fallen quite dramatically during the years of neoliberal reform. The question triggered by his speech is why the World Bank continues its neoliberal policies.

Economics↗
PubMed2000

Object concept and sleep regulation.

The association between infants' cognitive development and sleep regulation was investigated in 83 infants not at risk. It was found that 9-mo.-old infants with a more advanced object concept had significantly fewer sleep difficulties compared to infants with lower level of object permanence.

Anxiety, Separation↗
PubMed2000

Mother's attachment concerns regarding spouse and infant's temperament as modulators of maternal separation anxiety.

The modulators of maternal separation anxiety were examined in a longitudinal study with 97 mothers of infants from 3 to 9 months of age. The objective of the study was to examine the joint contribution of the mother's attachment concerns as related to her husband together with the perception of the infant's temperament to her concerns over separation from her child. Maternal worries about separation from 3-month-old infants predicted maternal separation anxiety when infants were 9 months old. Mother's attachment to her husband and her perception of her child's temperament further predicted maternal separation anxiety at 9 months over and above the worries at 3 months. Mothers who feared dependent relationships with their husbands experienced high levels of maternal separation anxiety. This tendency was particularly marked when the infant was perceived as adaptable at 3 months. In addition, secure mothers, namely, mothers low in fear of abandonment and in fear of being dependent, increased their maternal separation anxiety as a function of their infant's perceived unadaptability.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Night waking among 1-year olds: a study of maternal separation anxiety.

The relationships between aspects of parenting and infants' sleep patterns were studied longitudinally with 81 mother-child pairs. Mothers' parenting orientation at 6 months was defined using the Facilitator-Regulator distinction. When the infants were 12 months old, mother and child participated in a laboratory-based developmental assessment which involved a brief separation episode. Upon reunion, mothers reported on their concerns during separation; they also described their child's sleep. It was found that high maternal separation anxiety was related to night waking. In addition, night waking was more frequent among first born babies of Facilitators compared with Regulators. How maternal separation anxiety and care-giving orientation regulate aspects of the child's sleep awaits further explanation.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hand preference as related to development and behavior in infancy.

55 healthy infants were assessed for their developmental and behavioral patterns at the age of 9 mo. Hand preference was assessed at 20 mo. of age. The distribution of hand preference showed 12 were right-handed, 11 left-handed and 23 ambidextrous. This distribution appears shifted more to the left than that reported for older children. Although their data were based on different tests not appropriate for 9-mo.-old infants, ambidexterity appeared to reflect part of the hand-preference continuum. No significant relationship between hand preference and developmental attainments was noted. Perhaps a larger sample would provide a clear developmental behavioral pattern and hand preference in infancy.

Child Development↗
PubMed1998

Maternal separation anxiety in infancy: precursors and outcomes.

The relationships among aspects of mothers' childhood memories, her maternal anxiety--when separated from her infant and the child's attachment pattern were studied with 58 low risk dyads participating in a longitudinal investigation. It was found that mother's perceived relationships with her own mother significantly predicted her offspring's attachment to her. While maternal separation anxiety was equally characteristic of secure and insecure mothers at early infancy, by the end of the first year preoccupied mothers reported higher levels of maternal anxiety and separation concerns compared to the secure mothers. Although not designed as a clinical study, the present results highlight important psychological constructs and measurements which may be relevant for assessment and intervention.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The relationship between sleep and temperament revisited: evidence for 12-month-olds: a research note.

This study measured the sleep attributes of 30 normal 12-month-old children with a computerized movement detector (Actigraph). Data on the child's temperament was based on the Carey Toddler Temperament Questionnaire, which the mother completed. The main finding was that rhythmic children went to sleep earlier and had longer sleep duration; however, their sleep pattern was not more efficient compared to children with irregular rhythmicity. The results of the present study provide only limited evidence to the association between the regulation of sleep-wake cycles and the temperamental characteristics of the child. Hence it may be concluded that within non-referred low-risk infants, temperament does not discriminate between good and poor sleepers. Alternatively, however, the marginal relationship between sleep and temperament demonstrated in the present study may reflect the limitation of maternal perception as a source for temperament assessment.

Circadian Rhythm↗
PubMed1993

The effects of illness on sleep behaviour in infants.

For the purpose of evaluating the association between health problems and sleep disturbances as part of a community survey of sleep patterns in childhood, a questionnaire was administered to 752 mothers of children between the ages of 4 months and 4 years, and to the nurses at their regular baby clinics. The questionnaire covered the areas of past and present sleep and settling behaviour, as well as health history and demographic data. The study group consisted of 66 (8.9%) children who had either chronic medical problems, or history of an illness requiring hospitalisation. Regular night waking was reported in 35% and 34% of the group with and without history of illness, respectively. The mean number of interrupted nights per week was similar in both groups and so were the sleep problems perceived by the mothers. We conclude that in this age group the results do not support an association between health problems and prolonged sleep disturbances.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1993

Sleep characteristics of asthmatics in the first four years of life: a comparative study.

The association between asthma and sleep disturbances was assessed as part of a community survey of sleep patterns in children aged 4-48 months. A questionnaire covering the area of past and present sleep and settling behaviour, as well as health history and demographic data, was administered to 752 mothers of children visiting 14 well baby clinics. Fifty one (6.8%) of the children who were diagnosed as having asthma by their paediatricians were compared with the remaining healthy controls (children with perinatal problems, other chronic illnesses, developmental problems, or repeat admissions to hospital were excluded). Thirty nine per cent of the children with asthma and 38% of the normal controls were identified as regular wakers. The number of interrupted nights each week, settling time, and sleep duration were comparable. In the children with asthma an uninterrupted night's sleep was acquired later than in the control group. Parental perception of the severity of the sleep problem was similar in the two groups, as were the calming techniques. It is concluded that this study does not support a significantly increased prevalence of sleep disturbances among young children with asthma compared with their healthy peers.

Asthma↗
PubMed1992

Toddlers' sleep and temperament: reporting bias or a valid link? A research note.

Objective sleep measures derived from a computerized movement detector attached to the child's leg, were obtained for a group of 31 toddlers (mean age: 18.5 months). The monitored sleep parameters were compared with maternal assessment of the child's sleep and her perception of his temperament. The validity of maternal diaries as a measure of the child's sleep was not supported. Nevertheless, a link between both subjective and objective sleep measures with temperament dimensions was indicated. The modest association between sleep and temperament may suggest either a continuity between some aspects of day- and night-time functioning or, alternatively, the influence of the child's sleep behavior in shaping the mother's perceptions of her toddler's temperament.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1992

Facilitators and regulators: cross-cultural and methodological considerations.

In a model of motherhood Raphael-Leff (1983) delineated two basic orientations: the Facilitator who adapts to the baby and the Regulator who expects the baby to adapt. The FR questionnaire was completed by 97 Israeli mothers of six-month-old infants; 34 per cent were classified as Facilitators, 34 per cent Regulators, 15 per cent Intermediates and 17 per cent were labelled Bipolars. Future research should explore the characteristics of this latter group and its prevalence in other societies.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Growth and development of children conceived by in vitro fertilization.

To assess the physical and mental development of infants born after in vitro fertilization (IVF), we performed a general physical and developmental examination (Bayley and Stanford-Binet scales) on a cohort of 116 IVF children, conceived and born at our institution between February 1985 and March 1989, and on 116 non-IVF matched controls. Study and control groups were each composed of 66 singletons, 19 pairs of twins and 4 sets of triplets, whose age at examination ranged from 12 to 45 months. The developmental indices of IVF infants were within the normal range and did not differ from those of their matched controls. The indices were positively correlated to gestational age, birth weight, head circumference at birth and at examination, and mother's education. Mean birth weight, gestational age, and birth weight percentile of IVF infants were lower than the mean of the healthy population. Mean percentiles of weight and length at examination (mean age 22.4 months) were equally low but did not differ from those of the matched controls. However, mean percentiles of head circumference at birth and at examination compare well with the normal mean, both in IVF and control groups. Twins and triplets (IVF and controls) had significantly lower physical and mental indices as compared to singletons.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1991

The physical and psychomotor development of children conceived by IVF and exposed to high-frequency vaginal ultrasonography (6.5 MHz) in the first trimester of pregnancy.

We examined the physical and psychomotor development of 33 infants conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) who were exposed to high-frequency transvaginal ultrasonography (HFTVS) (6.5 MHz) in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study group was composed of 21 singletons and six sets of twins. Thirty-three non-IVF controls were matched for birth weight, gestational age, sex, birth order, order in multiple delivery, mode of delivery, age at examination and parental age and education. Forty-five IVF infants who were not exposed to HFTVS and their matched controls also served as comparison groups. The Bayley scales were used to assess the psychosocial development of the infants studied. Increases in preterm delivery, low birth weight and Cesarean section rates were within the acceptable range for IVF babies. Mean birth weight, gestational age and birth weight percentiles of exposed IVF infants were lower than the expected mean for a normal population, but did not differ from that of non-exposed IVF infants. Mean percentiles of weight and length at examination were also low but not different from those of non-exposed IVF and matched control groups. However, percentiles of head circumference were normal at birth and at examination both in study and control groups. Overall, Bayley scores of exposed IVF infants were within the normal range and did not differ significantly from those of their matched controls and non-exposed peers. These scores were significantly correlated to birth weight, percentiles of birth weight and head circumference at birth and at examination, and to the mother's education. Twins had lower physical and mental indices than singletons, but did not differ from their controls.

Journal Article↗