Babies’ progress linked to parents’ responsiveness

Babies as young as nine months show different rates of development depending on how sensitive and responsive their parents are to their needs.

Latest results from the Growing Up in Ireland study to be released today, show parents who were more sensitive in their interactions with their offspring had babies with slightly higher development scores in areas like communication, social skills, and dexterity.

But a far bigger influence on how well a baby had developed during the first nine months was their gestational age, with premature babies more likely to show slower development regardless of parental sensitivity.