Measuring and interpreting individual differences in fetal, infant, and toddler neurodevelopment

As scientists interested in fetal, infant, and toddler (FIT) neurodevelopment, our research questions often focus on how individual children differ in their neurodevelopment and the predictive value of those individual differences for long-term neural and behavioral outcomes. Measuring and interpreting individual differences in neurodevelopment can present challenges: Is there a “standard” way for the human brain to develop? How do the semantic, practical, or theoretical constraints that we place on studying “development” influence how we measure and interpret individual differences? While it is important to consider these questions across the lifespan, they are particularly relevant for conducting and interpreting research on individual differences in fetal, infant, and toddler neurodevelopment due to the rapid, profound, and heterogeneous changes happening during this period, which may be predictive of long-term outcomes. This article, therefore, has three goals: 1) to provide an overview about how individual differences in neurodevelopment are studied in the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience, 2) to identify challenges and considerations when studying individual differences in neurodevelopment, and 3) to discuss potential implications and solutions moving forward.