Background: The endogenous characteristics of sleep and its regulation have been well described on the basis of biological mechanisms, but the human being shows ample individual differences in his sleep pattern starting from the early stages of life. The existing literature claims that environmental factors can account for these differences. Aim: This study aims to confirm previous North American and North European findings about the normal developmental pattern of infant sleeping in a group of Italian babies in the first two months of life and to discuss the influence of biology and environment on infant sleep. Method: A cohort of 70 healthy, full-term Italian infants was assessed longitudinally at 2, 5 and 8 weeks of age. Mothers were asked to fill in 24-hour behaviour diaries for three consecutive days at each age, providing data about the daily amount of infant sleeping. Results: Findings from the diaries show that the Italian infants spend the same quantity of time sleeping taking into consideration the amounts reported in other studies on infant of the same ages, indicating that at least in the first two months, the sleeping pattern is similar across different countries. Discussion: These results seem to suggest that environmental and cultural variations for instance in terms of effects of different parenting behaviors and expectations on infant sleeping, can be taken into stronger consideration with child’s increasing age. Basing upon these data implications for theory on the developmental pattern of sleeping, as well as clinical practice, will be discussed.
Nature vs nurture in infant sleep: A longitudinal Italian study in the first two months of life
BONICHINI, SABRINA;
2009
Abstract
Background: The endogenous characteristics of sleep and its regulation have been well described on the basis of biological mechanisms, but the human being shows ample individual differences in his sleep pattern starting from the early stages of life. The existing literature claims that environmental factors can account for these differences. Aim: This study aims to confirm previous North American and North European findings about the normal developmental pattern of infant sleeping in a group of Italian babies in the first two months of life and to discuss the influence of biology and environment on infant sleep. Method: A cohort of 70 healthy, full-term Italian infants was assessed longitudinally at 2, 5 and 8 weeks of age. Mothers were asked to fill in 24-hour behaviour diaries for three consecutive days at each age, providing data about the daily amount of infant sleeping. Results: Findings from the diaries show that the Italian infants spend the same quantity of time sleeping taking into consideration the amounts reported in other studies on infant of the same ages, indicating that at least in the first two months, the sleeping pattern is similar across different countries. Discussion: These results seem to suggest that environmental and cultural variations for instance in terms of effects of different parenting behaviors and expectations on infant sleeping, can be taken into stronger consideration with child’s increasing age. Basing upon these data implications for theory on the developmental pattern of sleeping, as well as clinical practice, will be discussed.
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