A mother's sensitivity protects children born preterm from emotional and behavioral problems

Article excerpt

A mother's warm, timely and appropriate responses to her child's needs support the child's development and help protect against emotional and behavioral difficulties later in life. New research shows that sensitive parent, child interactions help reduce risks associated with preterm birth. The large international study led by the University of Oulu in Finland and published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology shows that early interaction between parent and child plays a key role in child development.