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CHILD GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT * 2 HOURS * LEVEL 2

Infant and Toddler Temperament 

Temperament Q & A Question #1

Page 10
Debbie Hasbrook, M. Ed.
Debbie Hasbrook has worked with children and families for 37 years. In that time she has been a home provider, teacher, center director, Regional and State conference presenter and Adjunct faculty at a number of colleges in Washington State. Debbie's education includes a Master of Education, Montessori Preschool Degree and several certifications.
We have taken some time to speak with Debbie Hasbrook, M. Ed. regarding infant and toddler temperament. She has worked with this age group for many years and has some very helpful and valuable information to share as a parent, grandparent, trainer, and child care professional.

Question #1
An infant in my care is always crying, no matter how much I comfort them.
​What should I do? 
Infants are very good at telling you their needs and will respond through their responses, gestures and facial expressions. Without language, caregivers should watch for these cues to meet an infant’s needs.  Infants cry for many reasons. The intensity of these behaviors is influenced by their temperament. Look for cues as to the temperament of the child.
 
The easy (flexible) infant tends to adapt more easily and deal with the transition from home to care. This child may need you less throughout day and be pretty happy if their basic needs are being met. When the easy infant is crying it may be easier to distract them by changing positions, locations, toys or singing a happy rhyme. Even though this infant does not demand your constant attention, they will need regular interactions and a stimulating environment to support development.
 
The difficult infant will demand your attention more often, balk at transitions from home to care, from one spot in the room to another, and be influenced by the emotional intensity of the room; such as when other children begin crying or when staff changes. Even if their basic needs are met they will require more stimulation, one-on-one attention and supervision when interacting with other infants. Consistent care and caregiver are important for this infant. This child needs consistency to help them learn how to manage their emotions and support social and emotional development. This child needs intentional planning to prevent the emotional breakdown before it happens by observing and documenting situations that trigger an emotional response. Comforting this temperament will depend on the particular child. They may reject comforting and struggle or insist on a rock-a-bye.
 
The slow to warm infant may find group care physically and emotionally uncomfortable. Until the caregiver has created a solid attachment with the infant, transition from home to care may cause this infant to be become very upset and cry; sometimes for an extended period. Loud noises, unfamiliar sounds, smells or caregivers are very difficult for them. Calming this temperament takes a great deal of patience. It is essential that once this infant has developed an attachment with a specific caregiver, this should be the caregiver that is responsible for the majority of their care, the majority of the day.  Inconsistency in care may cause stress to these infants, which will influence how they interact with caregivers, other infants and their development. Since temperament is innate, you can’t teach them to adapt to situations and people. Instead try to create a peaceful and stress free environment as much as possible. An infant with this temperament will pick up on your stress level through your breathing, muscle tensing, affect and tone. Before trying to comfort this infant take minute to relax yourself. Each child is different. They may need you to go to a quiet corner, snuggle and hum a lullaby, or their bodies may not feel comfortable being held closely at the moment, and you may need to sit on the floor with the infant loosely in your lap, speak softly and stroke their hair.