Johnson & Johnson Introduces Pediatric Institute to Help Translate New Science About Babies for Caregivers

Partnerships with Professionals to Focus on Practical Parenting Applications

Source

The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute

Forums

Related Articles

There is a proliferation of research and theories about early childhood development and the role parents and caregivers play. The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute's efforts are directed by pediatric leaders to simplify this information explosion by offering educational programs, forums and other resources that enhance parenting practices.

At its inaugural event today in New York, the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute hosted a medical briefing where pediatric leaders presented the latest research in the areas of attachment, touch, and early emotional development, and offered practical methods for parents and caregivers to use to enhance their children's development in everyday child-rearing.

Highlights included:

-- "Early Childhood Development: Making Sense of the Research Explosion" presented by Errol Alden, M.D., F.A.A.P.

-- "A Close Look at the Early Parent-Infant Relationship" presented by Lewis Leavitt, M.D., F.A.A.P.

-- "New Approaches to Managing Infant Irritability" presented by Maureen Keefe, R.N., Ph.D., F.A.A.N.

-- "The Growing Evidence of the Benefits of Touch" presented by Tiffany Field, Ph.D.

"Our understanding of maternal and infant care and early childhood development grows every day with the addition of new research," explained Robert Haggerty, M.D., F.A.A.P., professor of pediatrics emeritus at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and member of the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute Advisory Board. "The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, in partnership with healthcare professionals, fills a tremendous need by putting research into perspective and equipping parents with educational tools."

Early Childhood Development

Over the past three years, scientists have made great strides in their ability to analyze developmental stages, with the use of brain imaging and other techniques. The results of this research are prompting parents to identify ways in which they can promote their children's emotional, behavioral and cognitive development, according to Dr. Errol Alden, deputy executive director, American Academy of Pediatrics.

"The challenge for the medical community is to ensure that parents and caregivers are equipped with the right information to make the most of these new insights," said Dr. Alden. "In fact, a recent survey shows that nearly 80 percent of parents with children under three are searching for more information and advice about recognizing and facilitating the physical and emotional development of children."

The Importance of Parent-Infant Interactions

Recent media headlines question the importance of parents in determining the course of their children's lives. News stories featuring polarized debates among experts can be very confusing for parents. Should parents feel guilty for missing early or ongoing chances to interact with their children or should they feel relieved that these interactions really don't matter?

Dr. Lewis Leavitt, professor of pediatrics, University of Wisconsin and researcher on infant development and parent-infant interaction, described how both infant and parent contribute to the construction of their relationship, which can be called a bond or attachment. This relationship helps foster early infant development and can include multiple caregivers.

The optimal development of infants or young children does not require just one special caregiver, according to a recently completed National Institutes of Health Study on Early Child Care. Study results showed that children in a high-quality care environment can retain a positive relationship with their mothers while appropriately developing their cognitive and linguistic skills.

"Parents are indeed important for child development, but they operate within physical and social contexts which also have important effects on their children's lives," said Dr. Leavitt. "Parents are crucial in giving children a healthy start in the early weeks and months of life. They remain important as the child's life becomes intertwined with an increasing number of other adults and children."

New Approaches to Managing Infant Irritability

Most parents are familiar with the term "colic" and many have experienced first-hand the challenge of the most common pediatric problem in the first year of life -- their baby's incessant and unexplained crying. New research by Dr. Maureen Keefe, dean, College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, challenges the old theories of infant colic -- food allergies, immature gastrointestinal tracts, or parental anxiety -- and puts forth a new theory, that irritability is a disorder of normal sleep-wake patterns.

"Colic has become a catch-all label that isn't useful for parents because it doesn't describe what's happening to their infants and doesn't provide guidance in dealing with irritability," said Dr. Keefe. "In our work with families, we have found that fussy babies have difficulty tuning out stimuli in their environment, causing them to be overly tired, yet unable to fall asleep. As their sleep-wake cycles become less regular, they are less able to signal why they are crying."

The research also showed that fussy babies respond differently to different approaches at different times. Based on these new perspectives, Keefe developed an intervention for parents and infants, called REST, that can help prevent and reduce the amount of crying, reduce parental stress and promote positive parent-infant interactions.

REST is an acronym that captures the needs of both fussy babies and their parents. REST for infants stands for Regulation (helping infants regulate their behavioral states), Entrainment (synchronizing infants' behavior to their environment), Structure (creating a predictable daily routine for infants to anticipate), and Touch (skin-to-skin contact). REST for parents stands for Reassurance, Empathy, Support, and Time-out. It is intended to help parents deal with the stress, frustration, and feelings of ineptitude that often accompany caring for an irritable baby.

The Growing Evidence of the Benefits of Touch

Touch therapy, or massage, is as important to infants and children as eating and sleeping, according to Dr. Tiffany Field, professor of pediatrics, psychology and psychiatry, University of Miami School of Medicine and director, Touch Research Institutes. Clinical studies have found that touch therapy can help premature infants gain weight faster, asthmatic children improve breathing function, diabetic children comply with treatment, and sleepless babies fall asleep with less trouble.

"We have established a solid foundation of results, including the understanding that touch triggers physiological changes that help infants and children develop," said Dr. Field. "Now we are exploring how the positive results translate to areas like pregnancy, labor, and the health of newborns."

New research is uncovering the benefits of touch to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and alleviate pain in pregnancy and labor. Exciting preliminary results suggest that touch may contribute to a lower incidence of premature labor and a reduced need for ventilatory assistance among newborns. In addition, touch researchers are replicating earlier studies and planning for new studies to evaluate the ability of touch to help premature and healthy babies thrive.

Introducing the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute

"Johnson & Johnson has a deep and broad understanding of the timeless challenges and joys of parenting," said Julia Freedman, director of the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute. "Throughout our history, we have researched and developed products that meet specific needs of parents and their infants. The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute is a natural extension of our commitment to protecting and developing our most treasured assets -- our children."

The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute builds on more than 100 years of trust by establishing a multi-disciplinary professional advisory board and developing partnerships with the individuals and organizations that are at the vanguard of maternal and infant health.

The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute works with pediatric professionals to realize new levels of understanding about child development and to effectively communicate the latest information to parents, both directly and through healthcare professionals.

For example, the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Round Tables annually gather leading pediatric professionals from a variety of disciplines to share and debate the latest research and practices in maternal and infant care. This year's Pediatric Round Table, "New Perspectives in Early Emotional Development," focused on effective facilitation of healthy development in infants and families.

The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute makes the findings from the Round Tables and its other programs available to professionals and parents through a library of publications and videos, interactive electronic communications, supporting continuing education courses, and in a live Town Forum series in which parents have direct access to the experts. New programs will continue to be developed to meet the changing needs of professionals and parents.

The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute, in partnership with leading healthcare professionals and researchers, develops and delivers programs and resources to address the needs of parents worldwide. It is committed to making a difference in the lives of mothers, infants, and families.

Known for its century-long commitment to mothers and babies, Johnson & Johnson is the world's largest and most comprehensive healthcare products company, with businesses in the consumer, pharmaceutical/diagnostic, and professional markets. Johnson & Johnson has over 90,000 employees and sells products in 175 countries through 180 operating companies.

CONTACT: Jennifer Wadehra of Ketchum Public Relations, 212-448-4324, for The Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute