Infant developmental milestones: a 31-year follow-up Anja Taanila* PhD, Professor, Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Finland. Graham K Murray MD MRCPsych, Clinical Lecturer, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK. Jari Jokelainen, Statistician, Unit of General Practice, University Hospital of Oulu; Matti Isohanni PhD MD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu; Paula Rantakallio PhD MD, Emeritus Professor, Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. *Correspondence to first author at University of Oulu, Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, PO Box 5000, 90014 Oulu, Finland. E-mail:
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This study examined the association between infant developmental milestones and educational level at 31 years of age in the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort (n=12 058). Developmental data (age at standing, walking, speaking, and measures of bowel and bladder control) were gathered from children’s welfare centres. Information on type of schooling at 14 years of age was reported by children and parents. School achievement at 16 years of age and educational level at 31 years were obtained from national registers. Those who reached infant developmental milestones sooner in their first year of life had significantly better (p