Journal Article

Early Childcare and Developmental Delay Risk at 3.5 Years: Insights from the French ELFE Cohort

Etude longitudinale française depuis l'enfance (UMS : Ined-Inserm-EFS) (ELFE), Florencia, Barreto-Zarza, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (Cnam)-Université Sorbonne Paris Nord-Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics | Centre de Recherche Épidémiologie et Statistiques (CRESS (U1153 / UMR_A 1125)), Barry, Katharine, Marie-Noëlle, Dufourg, Collaboration internationale, Melchior, Maria, École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP), Réseau doctoral de l'Ecole des hautes études en santé publique, Rennes, Gomajee, Alexandre Ramchandar, Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Sociale (ERES), Eloi, Chazelas

2024

Overview

We tested the association between early childcare attendance in the first three years of life and child development at age 3.5 years in the French context, where early childcare is subsidized. In the ELFE (Étude Longitudinale Français depuis l'Enfance) birth cohort study set in metropolitan France, children’s development was reported by parents at age 3.5 years (n = 11,033) via the Child Development Inventory (CDI) questionnaire. CDI scores were transformed into a development quotient (DQ), with a DQ < 90 corresponding to possible and a DQ < 85 corresponding to a probable developmental delay. Inverse probability weighted multivariable regression models were used to analyse whether early childcare in the first three years of life (centre-based, childminder, informal or parental care) was associated to development delay. Compared to children in exclusive parental care, those in centre-based childcare (CBC) or with a childminder prior to school entry were significantly less likely to experience possible (OR = 0.56, [95% CI = 0.51–0.61] for CBC and OR = 0.77, [95% CI = 0.72–0.83] for childminder attendance) and probable developmental delay (OR = 0.62, [0.58–0.67] for CBC and OR = 0.80 [0.76–0.83] for childminder). Informal childcare attendance was not significantly associated with children’s possible nor probable developmental delay ((OR = 0.97, [0.84–1.12]) and (OR = 0.97, [0.82–1.15]), respectively). Conclusions: Overall, our findings add to the existing scientific literature, showing that in the French context, where childcare can start as early as 3 months of age, early childcare attendance can contribute to child’s development.

• Publisher: Springer Verlag [1975-....],CCSD,Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Age / Birth Cohort / Child care / Child Care - statistics & numerical data / Child Day Care Centers - statistics & numerical data / Child Development / Child, Preschool / Children / Children & youth / Cohort analysis / Developmental Disabilities - epidemiology / Female / France - epidemiology / Humans / Infant / Life Sciences / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Parental behavior / Pediatrics / Regression analysis / Risk Factors / Santé publique et épidémiologie / Surveys and Questionnaires