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The effects of an early physical therapy intervention for very preterm, very low birth weight infants: a randomized
Emma C Cameron1, Valerie Maehle, Jane Reid
1Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland. emmac@sharjah.ac.ae
Insights
Physical therapy (PT) intervention did not significantly improve motor outcomes for very preterm infants with very low birth weight (VLBW). However, early PT may reduce motor delays, with parental compliance being a key factor.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Infants born very preterm with very low birth weight (VLBW) are at increased risk for motor developmental delays.
- Early intervention is crucial for optimizing motor outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of a structured physical therapy (PT) intervention on the motor development of infants born very preterm with VLBW.
- To assess the relationship between parental compliance and motor outcomes in the intervention group.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 72 infants born very preterm with VLBW, assigned to either a treatment (PT) or non-treatment group.
- The treatment group received developmental PT from birth to four months corrected age (CA).
- Motor outcomes were assessed at four months CA using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS).
Main Results:
- Physical therapy intervention did not significantly improve the motor performance scores of the treatment group compared to the non-treatment group.
- No subjects in the treatment group exhibited abnormal motor development at four months CA, unlike the non-treatment (16%) and control (14%) groups.
- Higher parental compliance was associated with significantly better Alberta Infant Motor Scale scores (p = 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Neonatal and early physical therapy intervention does not significantly enhance motor performance in very preterm infants with VLBW at four months corrected age.
- Parental compliance and intervention frequency appear to be influential factors affecting outcomes.
- Preliminary findings suggest potential benefits of early PT in reducing motor delay incidence, warranting further long-term follow-up.
Purpose:
A randomized controlled clinical trial was used to investigate effects of physical therapy (PT) intervention on motor outcome of infants born very preterm with very low birth weight (VLBW).
Methods:
Seventy-two infants born very preterm with VLBW were randomly assigned to a nontreatment (NT) (n = 38) or treatment (T) (n = 34) group. The T group received developmental PT from birth until four months corrected age (CA) weekdays during the infant's neonatal stay and on a needs- and problem-orientated basis thereafter. The NT group received no intervention. Both groups were assessed at four months CA using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) as was a control group of 14 infants born full term. Parental compliance was measured using a parent questionnaire.
Results:
PT intervention had no significant effect on the T group's motor performance. However, no T group subjects had abnormal motor development at four months CA when compared to the NT group (16%) and the control group (14%) (p = 0.09). The T group subjects with high levels of parental compliance had better scores on the AIMS than those with lower parental compliance (p = 0.05).
Conclusion:
PT intervention does not significantly affect motor performance of infants born very preterm with VLBW at four months CA. Parental compliance and intervention frequency may have influenced the outcome. Preliminary evidence suggests that neonatal and early PT may reduce the incidence of motor delay among infants born very preterm with VLBW. Follow-up of this group is recommended to ascertain the long-term benefits of this type of early PT.
