Researcher(s)
- Ngatha Maina, Medical Diagnostics, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Michele Lobo, Physical Therapy, University of Delaware
Abstract
Early motor and cognitive milestones emerge from infants’ active practice of moving their bodies and exploring the environment. Frequent use of restrictive equipment is associated with “Container Baby Syndrome” and developmental delays. Infants in low-socioeconomic-status (SES) households may be at greater risk due to physical space constraints necessitating greater container use and fewer enriched environments to explore. This matched-pairs project examined whether 0-18-month-old infants in low-SES or mid/high-SES households differed in their daily container use, positioning patterns, and gross motor development, using 25 pairs matched by age, sex, and developmental status (typically developing or EI-qualifying). Parents reported container use and motor position frequency via the Motor Habits Questionnaire (MOHAB). Home environment was assessed using the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development (AHEMD), and cognitive development was measured with the Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC-2). Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared data between groups. No difference observed in total container time between groups (p=0.75). The difference was the type of equipment:mid/high-SES infants spent more time in stimulating equipment (activity mats, p=0.006), while low-SES infants spent more time in restrictive containers (outdoor strollers, p=0.016). Mid/high-SES households scored significantly higher on AHEMD physical space (p=0.026), gross motor toy variety (p=0.012), and total score (p=0.004). Low-SES infants stood independently less frequently than mid/high-SES peers (p=0.001). Despite these behavioral differences, DAYC-2 gross motor standard scores showed no significant difference between groups (Low-SES M=97.52, Mid/High-SES M=98.36, p=0.707); only cognitive development differed (p=0.049). These findings indicated low-SES infants experienced more restrictive equipment, limited home affordances, and less active movement such as independent standing. Spatial constraints shape container choice, suggesting provider collaboration optimizes early child development.