Annotated bibliography: effects of sleep position and play position on motor development in early infancy.
The prevalence of prone sleeping has decreased dramatically since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published sleep position guidelines and launched the Back to Sleep Campaign in 1992. One aspect of the guidelines, which suggests placing infants in the prone position for supervised play time, is often overlooked. This review summarizes published articles related to the effects of sleep/play position on motor development and provides considerations for physical and occupational therapy practice in early infancy. The study results suggested that delays in the attainment of gross motor milestones in the prone position could be observed in infants whose predominant sleep position was supine, but the delays in motor development disappeared later in life. Some studies also found a reverse order of the rolling development. Therapists should educate parents about the less known advised rules of supervised play time in the prone position by the AAP, and include activities in the prone position as part of the home program in early infancy.
Liao
Pai-jun M
PJ
Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612, USA.
Zawacki
Laura
L
Campbell
Suzann K
SK
D002657:Child Development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009048:Motor Skills; D010988:Play and Playthings; D016684:Prone Position; D012890:Sleep