Parent Informational Session for Child Development

Overseen By Lauren Woods, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Tennessee

Disqualifiers: Infant care by non-parent, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

50 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if educating parents about infant development can enhance their baby's motor skills. It examines whether activities like tummy time, play positions, and limiting screen time and baby gear use affect development. Parents will either receive a brochure or attend a Parent Informational Session for more detailed guidance. This trial suits parents of healthy, full-term infants who are a month old or younger and live near the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. As an unphased trial, it provides parents a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding early childhood development.

Do I need to stop my current medications to participate?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this educational intervention is safe for infants?

Research shows that educational sessions for parents are very safe. Studies have found that these sessions often lead to positive outcomes for both parents and children. For instance, one study found that parents who learn about child development often feel less stressed and experience fewer mental health issues. Another study showed that when parents receive guidance on child development, it can enhance a child's cognitive, language, and motor skills.

No evidence suggests negative effects from receiving this educational information. The goal is to provide parents with useful knowledge and tips to support their child's development positively.

In short, educational sessions for parents are well-received and aim to improve the well-being of both parents and children. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

This trial is unique because it focuses on educating parents about early childhood development practices, particularly the benefits of tummy time and reducing screen time for infants. Unlike standard options, which typically involve distributing basic informational brochures, this approach offers a comprehensive educational session along with a video guide and an option for a personalized Zoom consultation with the Principal Investigator. Researchers are excited about this trial because it aims to empower parents with detailed, interactive guidance, potentially leading to better developmental outcomes for their children by promoting active engagement with these practices.

What evidence suggests that the Parent Informational Session could be effective for infant motor skill development?

Research has shown that teaching parents about parenting can enhance young children's development, including movement skills. In this trial, one group of parents will attend a Parent Informational Session, which provides guidance on activities like tummy time, play positions, and reducing screen time to boost babies' movement skills. Another group will receive a brochure on the importance of tummy time and limiting baby gear. Studies have found that children whose caregivers learn about parenting tend to excel in thinking, speaking, and moving. Additionally, parenting education links to improved communication and social skills, crucial for a child's overall growth. These findings support the idea that informed parenting can positively impact a child's development. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Anne H Zachry, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Tennessee

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for parents of newborns who speak and read English, have a baby 1 month old or younger born at least at 37 weeks with a birthweight over 5.5 pounds, without known health issues since birth. Parents must be over 18, live near the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and have internet access plus video call capability.

Inclusion Criteria

My child has no health issues affecting their movement or development since birth.

I have a working email address.

Infant was carried to at least 37-weeks' gestation

Exclusion Criteria

Infant is regularly cared for by an adult other than their parent for 20 hours or more per week

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Parents receive educational intervention on tummy time, play positions, screen time, and use of baby gear

6 months

1 informational session, optional Zoom consultation

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in motor skill development using standardized questionnaires

6 months to 48 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Parent Informational Session

Trial Overview

The study tests if teaching parents about infant development (like tummy time and limiting screen time) helps improve their baby's motor skills compared to usual care. It's a small pilot study meant to gather info for future research.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Parent Informational Session Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Parental education session that includes information and a video on avoiding screen time in the first two years of life, the importance and benefits of infants being exposed to tummy time, varying play positions and limiting time in baby gear. Additional information will be provided on the importance of implementing tummy time during the first month of life as well as different ways to implement tummy time and how to increase infant tolerance to tummy time. Parents in the Parent Informational Session can request a Zoom consultation with the Principal Investigator if the parents have questions or need guidance with implementing tummy time.

Group II: Usual Care Group Receiving an Informational Tummy Time Brochure Active Control 1 Intervention

Usual care group will receive a brochure on the importance of tummy time and limiting baby gear.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Tennessee

Lead Sponsor

Trials

202

Recruited

146,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Participation in a six-month home visitation program significantly increased new mothers' overall knowledge of child development, as measured by the KIDS inventory.

Both adolescent and older mothers showed similar improvements in their understanding of infant development, indicating that the program was effective across different age groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Knowledge gained by mothers enrolled in a home visitation program. Hammond-Ratzlaff, A., Fulton, A.[2015]

A pilot study involving 25 mothers, 15 pediatricians, 12 pediatric residents, and 20 nurses identified differences in the informational priorities regarding postpartum discussions, highlighting a gap between what mothers and healthcare providers consider essential.

Observations of postpartum counseling sessions revealed that pediatricians' stated priorities often did not match the actual content of their discussions, suggesting a need for improved training in postpartum education for healthcare professionals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Postpartum education: a pilot study of pediatric and maternal perceptions. Greenberg, LW., Rice, HW., Rice, R.[2004]

A family-based asthma education program significantly improved the quality of life for both children with asthma and their parents, as shown in a study involving 34 families in each group over a 12-month period.

Children with non-allergic asthma in the experimental group demonstrated better pulmonary function, specifically in forced expiratory maneuvers, compared to the control group, highlighting the program's effectiveness in managing asthma symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Family Empowerment Education on Pulmonary Function and Quality of Life of Children With Asthma and Their Parents in Tunisia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Dardouri, M., Sahli, J., Ajmi, T., et al.[2021]

Therapeutic patient education is a health improvement initiative that offers personalized support to children at risk of stroke and their families.

This approach relies on specially trained health professionals to share knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes necessary for effective care and support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Therapeutic education of children who are victims or at risk of a stroke]. Micaëlli, D.[2017]

A study involving 1628 children with atopic dermatitis showed that individualized nurse consultations significantly increased parents' self-confidence in managing their child's condition, with over 90% of parents finding the consultations supportive.

After 14 days, the consultations led to a notable reduction in the severity of symptoms, with only 20% of children experiencing severe symptoms and over 50% reporting decreased sleep disruption and itching.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improved management of childhood atopic dermatitis after individually tailored nurse consultations: A pilot study. Rolinck-Werninghaus, C., Trentmann, M., Reich, A., et al.[2016]

A study developed 200 activity sheets for parents to engage with their children during health visits, covering various developmental areas and age groups, which were positively received by both parents and professionals.

Parents, especially those with less education, reported that the activities enhanced their understanding of child development and encouraged discussions with healthcare providers, although the study's preliminary nature limits broader conclusions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Denver developmental activities: a preliminary report. Frankenburg, WK., Thornton, SM.[2007]

The Parent's Circle program, attended by 104 parents in the NICU, significantly helped families feel supported and gain perspective on their situation, enhancing their interactions with their infants.

NICU staff observed that the knowledge parents gained from the program positively influenced their interactions and behaviors within the NICU, indicating a beneficial impact on the overall care environment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a program to promote positive parenting in the neonatal intensive care unit. Pearson, J., Andersen, K.[2019]

The COPE intervention program significantly improved cognitive development in low-birth-weight premature infants, with COPE infants scoring 100.3 compared to 93.9 for comparison infants at 3 months, and a 14-point advantage at 6 months.

Mothers participating in the COPE program reported lower stress levels related to the NICU environment and had a better understanding of their infants' needs, suggesting that the program also positively impacted maternal coping.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving cognitive development of low-birth-weight premature infants with the COPE program: a pilot study of the benefit of early NICU intervention with mothers. Melnyk, BM., Alpert-Gillis, L., Feinstein, NF., et al.[2022]

The intervention program 'My Baby and Me' effectively improved parenting skills among at-risk mothers, leading to reduced controlling behaviors and increased positive interactions with their infants.

Mothers who participated in the program showed significant improvements in verbal support and teaching behaviors, indicating that training in parental responsiveness and developmental knowledge can enhance early parenting practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing parenting practices of at-risk mothers. Akai, CE., Guttentag, CL., Baggett, KM., et al.[2021]

A review of 44 websites on child development found that while the information is generally accurate, much of it is incomplete, unclear, or hard to navigate, which can hinder parents' ability to monitor their child's progress effectively.

There is a significant need for a comprehensive, user-friendly, and authoritative online resource for parents that includes clear illustrations and reliable data on child development to support their involvement in assessments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

'Is my child developing normally?': a critical review of web-based resources for parents. Williams, N., Mughal, S., Blair, M.[2019]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10215939/

Information Available to Parents Seeking Education about ...

Parents commonly seek information about infant development and play, yet it is unclear what information parents find when looking in popular sources.

2.

howtoreadyourbaby.org

howtoreadyourbaby.org/the-measurable-impact-of-parenting-education-on-families-and-child-development/

The Measurable Impact of Parenting Education on Families ...

Children whose caregivers receive parenting education show better performance in early literacy, communication, and socialization. A ...

3.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8109838/

Parenting interventions to promote early child development ...

We found that parenting interventions improved early child cognitive, language, motor, socioemotional development, and attachment and reduced behavior problems.

4.

tandfonline.com

tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669760.2021.1933918

The impact of parent training intervention in early years

The program including 12-week parental training, had a powerful alterable influence on infant's language comprehension, word production, and literacy skills.

5.

reddit.com

reddit.com/r/ScienceBasedParenting/comments/1g0fxej/is_there_evidence_that_tracking_child_development/

Is there evidence that tracking child development data can ...

My question is: Is there scientific evidence supporting the use of comprehensive child development data for improving personalized education ...

6.

health.ny.gov

health.ny.gov/community/infants_children/early_intervention/outcomes_survey/child/docs/provider_exit.pdf

provider_exit.pdf - New York State Department of Health

1. Remind parents about the new Federal requirement to report child outcome information. 2. Collect information related to child outcomes and developmental.

7.

health.ny.gov

health.ny.gov/community/infants_children/early_intervention/outcomes_survey/child/docs/parent_exit_en.pdf

Parent Information Packet Quick Reference

You and people that have worked with your child, will be asked about how your child does in the following three areas: ✶ Positive social emotional skills.

8.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8371675/

Knowledge of Infant Development and Parent Well-Being

We hypothesize higher parent knowledge of child development will be associated with lower parent stress, lower parent mental health symptoms, and better parent ...

9.

cdc.gov

cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/infants.html

Positive Parenting Tips: Infants (0–1 years)

Following are some things you, as a parent, can do to help your baby during this time: Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.