Spending More Time at Day Care Could Increase Behavioural Problems in Children, Study

A latest study focusing on the effect of working mothers on children says that kids who spend more time at day care centers are prone to hyperactivity.

According to researchers at the University of Oxford, children faced peer problems if they stayed away for a longer time from their parents. For the study they examined 991 families that had three-month-old children. The average age of mothers was 30.

The participants were followed for nearly 51 months, until the children reached school going age. The researchers interviewed parents and teachers about their behavior and emotional connection with the children.

They further observed care given by mothers and 90 minutes of non-parental care. According to the assessments done by teachers, the researchers found that children who spent more time in daycares had "more total problems and more conduct problems."

The researchers found that children who were kept at daycares for longer time had more chances of developing behavioural problems.

 "Spending more time in day care centres, over the total period was a predictor of total problem scores," said Professor Alan Stein, of the university's Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, according to the Daily Mail.

The study observations further showed that children who spent more time with their grandparents also had peer issues. Those receiving nanny-care showed excess eagerness to help others.

"'Children who spent more time in day care centres were more likely to be hyperactive. Children receiving more care by childminders were more likely to have peer problems. The findings in relation to childminding suggest that it might be out of home care rather than group care that raises the risk of behavioural difficulties,' the researchers wrote in the study.

The researchers concluded the study saying:

"These findings suggest that interventions to enhance children's emotional and behavioural development might best focus on supporting families and augmenting the quality of care in the home. The findings in relation to childminding suggest that it might be out of home care rather than group care that raises the risk of behavioural difficulties."