Thomas Brazelton's Theories on Child Development

Background

• Thomas Brazelton is a graduate of Princeton University and Columbia University. He became an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in 1953 and quickly discovered that his interest in pediatrics was much wider than pathology and disease during infancy. In 1967 he began his studies with Dr. Jerome S. Bruner, and in 1973 he developed the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale while serving as director of the Harvard Medical School Child Development Unit. Brazelton's studies went on to make significant advances in pediatric psychology and behavioral development, with a focus on disadvantaged children.

The Brazelton Scale

• Brazelton is perhaps most widely known as the creator of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, also known as the Brazelton scale. This neonatal measure helps determine the behavioral strengths and weaknesses of newborn babies by assessing 28 behavioral items and 18 reflex assessments, as noted by the Brazelton Institute. Unlike other neonatal assessments, such as the Agpar score, the Brazelton scale is not reflected in a number, but rather aims to give parents a whole spectrum of ideas on their infant's strengths and weaknesses.

Sleep

• In the book, "Sleep: The Brazelton Way," Brazelton lays out several key points for establishing healthy sleep patterns during infancy. Rather than simply letting baby cry it out for hours or cuddling baby to sleep, Brazelton offers a middle way for sleep training. He focuses on understanding normal sleep patterns during infancy and working with those patterns to help baby learn to fall asleep on her own. For example, he acknowledges that babies will go through some stretches in which they easily fall asleep on their own, followed by more difficult phases. By detailing the stages of sleep during infancy, Brazelton aims to prepare parents and help them anticipate the unexpected. He calls these phases "touchpoints," and details when each occurs.

Eating

• Like his theories on sleep, Brazelton's ideas about eating patterns during infancy are based in the touchstones that take place during an infant's first year. He emphasizes the importance of breast-feeding, both as a nutritional foundation and as a key element in mother-baby bonding. However, he also provides advice for mothers who are unable to breast-feed. Brazelton describes typical feeding behaviors at each touchstone and also gives parents an idea of what to expect before, during and after the growth spurts that take place in the first year. Once again, the primary focus is on preparing parents for the stages and fluctuations that take place during infancy and the toddler and preschool years.