Background/objective: Greater parent–infant synchrony is associated with improved child outcomes. Behavioral measures of synchrony are still developing in young infants; thus, researchers need tools to quantify synchrony between parents and their young infants. We examined parent–infant neural synchrony measured using dual EEG hyperscanning and associations between neural synchrony, infant behavioral measures of synchrony, and maternal bondedness and depression. Methods: Our prospective cohort study included mother–infant dyads at 2–4 months of age. We collected time-locked dual EEG recordings of mother and infant and simultaneous video-recordings during a scaffolded interaction where the mother sequentially layered sensory modalities to the interaction. Neural synchrony measured using EEG hyperscanning was analyzed using the circular correlation coefficient (CCorr), infant behavioral synchrony was measured using the validated Welch Emotional Connection Screen (WECS) scores, and maternal bondedness and depression were measured using standardized questionnaires. Results: Our study included n = 47 dyads. Dyadic CCorr increased across the interaction as the mother added tactile stimulation to visual stimulation. We also found associations between behavioral and neural measures of dyadic synchrony such that infants with higher scores on behavioral measures of emotional connection on the WECS showed greater increases in CCorr indicative of dyadic synchrony with their mother across this interaction. We found no associations between neural synchrony and maternal bondedness or depression. Conclusion: These findings support the construct validity of mother–infant dyadic neural synchrony measured using EEG hyperscanning and analyzed using CCorr. Opportunities for future research on quantification of neural synchrony between parents and young infants abound.

Background: Early motor development is fundamental in driving cognitive skill acquisition. Motor delays in children with cerebral palsy (CP) often limit exploratory behaviors, decreasing opportunities or the quality of cognitive development, emphasizing the importance of early intervention. This study aimed to assess immediate and 5-month motor and cognitive changes in infants and toddlers at risk of or with CP after participation in a community-based program. Methods: Twenty-two children (mean age: 22 ± 7 months) classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and mini-Manual Ability Classification System (mini-MACS) participated in a 6-day community-based activity program, with outcomes assessed using the Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC-2). Results: Participants who met their motor goals post-participation had significantly higher cognitive scores (p = 0.006) 5 months after the program. Participants with higher functional motor abilities (GMFCS levels I–II, p = 0.052; mini-MACS levels I–II, p = 0.004) demonstrated better cognitive scores at 5 months, adjusted for baseline scores, than those with lower functional motor abilities. Conclusions: This study highlights the impact of motor improvements following an evidence-based community program on later cognitive development. Prospective studies investigating the mechanisms and mediation of cognitive progress in children with CP should investigate the effects of early motor interventions on long-term developmental trajectories.

Infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) are at high risk for feeding challenges and neurodevelopmental delays; however, few interventions promoting the neurodevelopmental progression of feeding have been studied with this population. Contingent mother’s voice has been successfully used as positive reinforcement for non-nutritive suck (NNS) in studies with preterm infants, leading to improved weight gain and more rapid cessation of tube feedings; however, this type of intervention has not been studied in infants with CCHD. This study aimed to determine whether an NNS-training protocol using the mother’s voice as positive reinforcement and validated in preterm infants could improve oral feeding outcomes in hospitalized infants with CCHD undergoing cardiac surgical procedures. Infants were randomized to receive the contingent mother’s voice intervention before or after cardiac surgery, with a control comparison group receiving passive exposure to the mother’s voice after surgery. There were no significant differences in discharge weight, PO intake, length of stay, time to full feeds, or feeding status at 1-month post-discharge between infants who received contingent mother’s voice compared to those who did not. There were significant differences in PO intake and time to full feeds following surgery based on infants’ pre-enrollment PO status and severity of illness. At 1-month post-discharge, parents of infants in the intervention group expressed a higher rate of positive feelings and fewer concerns regarding their infant’s feeding compared to parents of infants in the control group. While the current protocol of 5 sessions was not associated with improved feeding outcomes in infants with CCHD, it empowered parents to contribute to their infant’s care and demonstrated the feasibility of using the mother’s voice as positive reinforcement for infants with CCHD. Further study of timing, intensity, and duration of interventions leveraging the mother’s voice in this population is needed. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03035552.

Objective To assess the effect of a non-noxious vibratory stimulus on noxious-evoked cortical responses to skin puncture and to determine whether the presence of certain behavioural components may be used to predict such cortical responses. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Level IV neonatal intensive care unit at a stand-alone children’s hospital. Patients 134 hospitalised infants between 36 and 52 weeks’ postmenstrual age and ordered to receive a clinically required laboratory draw. Interventions Infants randomised to receive the intervention, a vibratory stimulus at the site of skin puncture beginning 10 s prior to a heel stick, or the control, no vibration. Main outcome measures Electroencephalography and video recording time-locked to the deployment of the lancet for the skin puncture. Noxious-evoked cortical responses were measured by the area under the curve in the somatosensory region contralateral to the skin puncture. Behavioural responses were coded through video analysis. Results Noxious-evoked cortical responses were significantly reduced in participants receiving the vibratory stimulus compared with the control (frontal, p0.05). Conclusions A non-noxious vibratory stimulus presented prior to and continuing simultaneously with skin puncture significantly mitigates nociception in hospitalised infants. The presence or absence of facial expression components is inadequate to reliably predict pain signalling in the brain. Trial registration number NCT04050384.