Tondi Kneeland
My research interests center on examining the effect of maternal caregiving on the development of stress neurobiology in full-term infants hospitalized shortly after birth because of life-threatening, chronic health conditions. I am particularly interested in infants with congenital heart disease. The experiences of being in the intensive care unit, undergoing multiple invasive diagnostic or therapeutic treatments, receiving care from multiple professionals, and being separated from mother may result in permanent changes in infant neurobiology, including autonomic nervous system function. Development of adaptive autonomic responses to stress or challenge is the foundation upon which self-regulation of emotion and behavior is built. Patterns of response of the infant’s autonomic system are directly influenced by interactions with the mother. I am interested in developing interventions that will enhance infant autonomic function and the establishment of patterns of maternal caregiving supportive of the infant’s emotional, behavioral, and social self-regulation.
News
New data finds stress, anxiety and depression spike for those feeling the weight of a “culture of achievement”
Is the status of “perfect parent” attainable?
Researchers leading a national dialogue about parental burnout from The Ohio State University College of Nursing and the university’s Office of the Chief Wellness Officer say “no,” and a new study finds that pressure to try to be “perfect” leads to unhealthy impacts on both parents and their children.
Groundbreaking study provides a promising solution for preventing a major complication of pregnancy
According to the World Health Organization, more than 15 million babies are born preterm every year. More than one million of those babies lose their lives. Methods to predict risk for and prevent preterm birth are few and far between.
