RT Journal
A1 Bradley RH, Vandell D
T1 CHild care and the well-being of children
JF Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
JO Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
YR 2007
FD July 1
VO 161
IS 7
SP 669
OP 676
DO 10.1001/archpedi.161.7.669
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.161.7.669
AB Objective 
    To evaluate studies of child care with specific attention to the impact of age at entry and amount, quality, and type of care on children's adaptive functioning.Data Sources 
    MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and the SAGE Full-Text Collection.Study Selection 
    The review considers correlational and experimental research conducted throughout the world that includes an adequate description of the type of care provided.Main Exposures 
    Amount, quality, and type of child care.Main Outcome Measures 
    Language, cognitive and social competence, achievement, behavioral problems, relationships with parents, communicable illnesses, and asthma.Results 
    Children who began care early in life and were in care 30 or more hours a week were at increased risk for stress-related behavioral problems. Elevated risk was more likely if they had difficulties interacting with peers or had insensitive parents. Children in day care centers had higher language scores and early school achievement, especially if they came from disadvantaged backgrounds and the centers offered high-quality care. Attending arrangements with 6 or more children increased the likelihood of communicable illnesses and ear infections, albeit those illnesses had no long-term adverse consequences.Conclusions 
    Child care is a multidimensional phenomenon. Guidance on when to place a child in nonparental care and what kind of care to use is complicated because of the multiplicity of sometimes offsetting effects on children. Child care experiences interact with experiences at home and the child's own characteristics, and research indicates that the quality of child care matters.