A University of Rochester study found 31.2 percent of parents had low-level knowledge of infant development, which correlated with lower parental education level and income.

However, when maternal age, education, income and mental state such as depression were controlled for, the low-level knowledge of infant development still significantly and independently predicted parents being both less able to engage their children in regular enrichment activities.

"This is a wake-up call for pediatricians," study leader Dr. Heather Paradis said in a statement. "At office visits, we have a prime opportunity to intervene and help realign parents' expectations for their infants and, in turn, promote healthy physical, social and emotional development for these children."

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study's Birth Cohort, Paradis and colleagues measured parental savvy by surveying a nationally representative sample of parents of more than 10,000 9-month-old babies on 11 points designed to distinguish informed parents from less-informed parents. The researchers also conducted a 73-point videotape analysis of the same families' parent-child interactions.

The study findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting in Honolulu.