1
|
Schmengler H, El-Khoury Lesueur F, Yermachenko A, Taine M, Cohen D, Peyre H, Saint-Georges C, Thierry X, Melchior M. Maternal immigrant status and signs of neurodevelopmental problems in early childhood. Eur J Public Health 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
A growing body of evidence suggests that children of immigrants may have increased risks of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, evidence based on parent report and on very young children is lacking. We therefore investigated the association between maternal immigrant status and early signs of neurodevelopmental problems in a population-based sample of two-year-old children using standardized parent-report instruments.
Methods
We used data from the French representative ELFE birth cohort, initiated in 2011. The study sample included 9,900 children of non-immigrant French, 1,403 children of 2nd, and 1,171 children of 1st generation immigrant women followed-up to age two years. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and an adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI).
Results
In fully adjusted linear regression models, maternal immigrant status was positively associated with M-CHAT scores, with stronger associations in children of 1st (β-coefficient: 0.19; 95% CI 0.08-0.29) than 2nd generation immigrants (0.09; 0.01-0.17). This association was especially strong among children of 1st generation immigrant mothers native of North Africa (vs. non-immigrant French: 0.33; 0.16-0.49) or French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa (0.26; 0.07-0.45). MB-CDI scores were lowest among children of 1st generation immigrant mothers, particularly from mostly non-francophone regions. Children of 1st generation immigrant mothers were most likely to have simultaneously low MB-CDI and high M-CHAT scores.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that maternal immigrant status is associated with higher risks of early signs of neurodevelopmental difficulties, with strong variations according to maternal region of origin. Standardized screening instruments may aid the early detection and treatment of these difficulties, helping to address inequalities in neurodevelopmental health in children of immigrants.
Key messages
Children of immigrant mothers in a population-based sample appear to have elevated neurodevelopmental risks, as assessed by maternal report. This is in line with evidence from clinical samples. We found strong variations according to maternal region of origin, with the highest risks in children of 1st generation immigrant mothers from North Africa and French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Schmengler
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM UMR S 1136, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Paris, France
- Utrecht Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - F El-Khoury Lesueur
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM UMR S 1136, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - A Yermachenko
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM UMR S 1136, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - M Taine
- Early Determinants of Children’s Health and Development Team, INSERM UMR 1153, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), Villejuif, France
| | - D Cohen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics, CNRS UMR 7222, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - H Peyre
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Cognitive Sciences and Psycholinguistics Laboratory, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
- INSERM UMR 1141, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France
| | - C Saint-Georges
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics, CNRS UMR 7222, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - X Thierry
- Institut National d’Études Démographiques, Paris, France
| | - M Melchior
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Pierre Louis Institute of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM UMR S 1136, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stengel B, Taine M, Carles S, Botton J, Forhan A, Charles M, Heude B. Effet du faible poids de naissance, de la prématurité et de la croissance postnatale sur la pression artérielle et l’excrétion urinaire d’albumine chez l’enfant à 5ans. Nephrol Ther 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nephro.2015.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|