The Mother–Child Relationship during the First Months of Life: Preliminary Considerations in Preterm as Compared with Term Mother–Infant Dyads

S. Spairani; C. Pisoni; G. Ariaudo; M. Moncecchi; U. Balottin; Paolo Manzoni; C. Tinelli; B. Gardella; P. Politi; Chryssoula Tzialla; Mauro Stronati; S. Orcesi

doi:10.1055/s-0038-1639362

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2018; 35(06): 578-582
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1639362

Original Article

Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The Mother–Child Relationship during the First Months of Life: Preliminary Considerations in Preterm as Compared with Term Mother–Infant Dyads

Authors

S. Spairani

¹Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

²Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
C. Pisoni

³Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
G. Ariaudo

¹Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

²Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
M. Moncecchi

²Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
U. Balottin

¹Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

²Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
Paolo Manzoni

⁴Neonatology and NICU, S. Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy
C. Tinelli

⁵Clinical Epidemiology and Biometric Unit, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
B. Gardella

⁶Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
P. Politi

⁷Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Chryssoula Tzialla

³Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
Mauro Stronati

³Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS Foundation Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
S. Orcesi

²Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy

Abstract

Introduction From the prognostic perspective, the quality of the mother–child relationship during the first months of life has been variously associated with different factors such as the child's psychomotor/cognitive development and emotional–behavioral disorders.

Methods The main aim of this study was to describe, at term age and 3 months of corrected age, the features and the prevalent patterns of the mother–child relationship in a group of 20 mother–preterm infant dyads and to compare them with those of a group of 20 mother–term infant dyads.

Results A relatively high rate of inadequate dyadic synchrony was found in our sample of preterms at 40 weeks of gestational age (half of the sample analyzed). The quality of the dyadic relationship and the prevalent patterns of the mother–child relationship were found to differ between the two groups we studied; moreover, the subjects at risk of relational problems remained substantially the same during the first 3 months of life.

Discussion These data underline that in preterm children, the first weeks of life, coinciding with their hospitalization, represent a crucial time for establishing a valid dyadic relationship and for considering and planning any preventive interventions; after all, the earlier the risk of relational problems becomes a real possibility, the more likely it is to negatively impact on a child's overall development.

Keywords

mother-child relationship - preterm birth - motherhood

Full Text

References

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