Relationship between infant sleep position and motor development in preterm infants

To determine whether motor development in premature infants varies accordin g to sleep position, we evaluated 213 infants < 1750 g birth weight enrolle d in the Collaborative Home Infant Monitoring Evaluation (CHIME). At 56 wee ks postconceptional age (PCA), sleep position was determined by maternal re port, and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development 2nd Edition (BSID-II) wer e performed. Infants who slept supine were less likely than infants who sle pt prone to receive credit for maintaining the head elevated to 45 degrees (p = .021), and infants who slept nonprone were less likely than prone slee pers to receive credit for maintaining the head elevated to 90 degrees and lowering with control (p = .001). The Psychomotor and Mental Development In dices at 56 and 92 weeks PCA were not altered by usual sleep position at 56 weeks PCA. In summary, infants sleeping supine are less able to lift the h ead and lower with control at 56 weeks PCA, but global developmental status was unaffected. Supine sleeping has been associated with decreased risk fo r sudden infant death syndrome, but compensatory strategies while awake may be needed to avoid delayed acquisition of head control.