The Development of Children in a Swedish Urban Community. A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Abstract

SummaryData on breast‐feeding, weaning, and the practice of giving night‐meals, collected in the prospective longitudinal growth‐study presented earlier, have been analysed for their association with various social and family factors and personality variables in the mothers. The following statistically significant relationships were found: 1. Boys are breast‐fed longer than girls. 2. Mothers in the higher age‐group (26 and over) continue breast‐feeding longer than do younger mothers (under 26). 3. Mothers of the highest social class (Graffar I+ 11) continue breast‐feeding longer than do mothers in the intermediate (Graffar III) and the lowest (Graffar IV+ V) social classes. 4. Mothers with higher education continue breast‐feeding longer than do mothers with only elementary school education. 5. In the lowest social class, mothers who live in old‐fashioned houses stop breast‐feeding earlier than do mothers living in modern houses. 6. Some personality traits of the mother are more often than others associated with long‐continued breastfeeding.No statistical relationships were demonstrated between the duration of breast feeding and overcrowding or the child's successional number in the family.The reasons for weaning were analysed. “No or insufficient milk” was the most common reason given by mothers who weaned their babies before 6 months. Gainful employment was of very little importance as a reason for weaning.The mothers' attitudes towards breastfeeding in the child's first and third months of life were generally positive. The duration of breast‐feeding cannot be predicted from the attitude declared by the mothers.The frequency of night‐feeding on the return home from the maternity hospital was 85% and at 3 months 25%. The boys received night‐meals for a significantly longer period than did the girls. The mother's age, the child's successional number in the family, social class, the duration of breast‐feeding and the mother's attitude to breast‐feeding showed no association with the continuation of night‐feeding.

A systematic review of prevention and treatment of infant behavioural sleep problems

“…In most cases (59%), the problems had lasted for more than three months . These findings were rather consistent with an earlier Swedish study from the 1960s, suggesting a quite stable prevalence over time.…”

Early language and intelligence development and their relationship to future criminal behavior.

“…Individual differences in standard intelligence show rather high longitudinal stability (Bradway, Thompson, & Cravens, 1958; Mischel, 1968; Klackenberg-Larsson & Stensson, 1968). The results of the present study should be seen in the light of this fairly stable pattern of interindividual temporal stability (i.e., a relationship between intelligence and criminality is found both at very early ages and much later in life).…”

“…The Brunet–Lézine measure of language development is referred to as the measure of infant language development in this article. Details of the test, the surroundings in which it was applied, the instructions given, and the temporal stabilities are described by Klackenberg-Larsson and Stensson (1968).…”

“…In some analysis, we made use of a measure of the child's comprehension of language. This rating, taken from the Terman–Merrill Intelligence Test administered at the ages of 3 and 5 years, captures “the child's evident understanding of what is said to him/her, as indicated by his/her responses both in the test and in general conversation” (Klackenberg-Larsson & Stensson, 1968, p. 93). It is measured on a 5-point scale with the following values: no apparent comprehension of the simplest instructions (1; defined at 3 years of age by “Come here,” “Give it to me,” plus references to parts of the body and use of the Identification by Name test); below average for age (2; defined at 3 years of age by the failing of one or more tests, apparently through lack of comprehension of instructions, using, e.g., Identification by Use, Picture Memory, or the equivalent); average comprehension for age (3); above average for age (4; defined at 3 years of age by the passing of three of four tests, i.e., Simple Commands, Comparison of Sticks, Identification by Use, Comprehension of Questions, or the equivalent); mature, intelligent understanding of what is said (5).…”

Schlafstörungen

“…Häufigkeit rhythmischer Bewegungen[32].Simon, 13 JahreEinschlafstörung Der 13−jährige Simon wurde uns wegen chronischer Einschlafstörung und Verdacht auf Angststörung zugewiesen. Simon leidet seit Jahren an Einschlaf− problemen, welche die ganze Familie beschäftigen.…”