Over-reaching with causality language in neurodevelopmental infant research: A methodological literature review

•A framework and specific guidelines link neurodevelopmental research designs to causal language.•Majority of articles reviewed used observational designs limited to descriptive inferences.•Explanatory language common in neurodevelopmental research even when no causal design is used.•To-date, the nature of causal mechanisms in neurodevelopmental research is yet to be understood.•An invitation to differentiate latent/theoretical constructs from indicators/proxy measures.