Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
A Swine Model of Neonatal Asphyxia
Published on: October 11, 2011
Randomized trial of early developmental intervention on outcomes in children after birth asphyxia in developing
Waldemar A Carlo1, Shivaprasad S Goudar, Omrana Pasha
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. wcarlo@peds.uab.edu
Insights
Early developmental intervention (EDI) significantly improved cognitive and psychomotor outcomes in resuscitated infants. This parent-implemented program showed benefits for children needing resuscitation at birth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric developmental psychology
- Neonatal resuscitation outcomes
- Global child health interventions
Background:
- Infants requiring resuscitation at birth may face developmental challenges.
- Early developmental intervention (EDI) is a potential strategy to mitigate these risks.
- Evidence on the long-term benefits of parent-implemented EDI in resuscitated infants is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a parent-implemented early developmental intervention (EDI) for infants who received resuscitation at birth.
- To assess the impact of EDI on cognitive and psychomotor development in resuscitated versus non-resuscitated infants.
- To compare developmental outcomes in infants receiving EDI with those receiving standard care.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted in India, Pakistan, and Zambia involving infants requiring resuscitation and those who did not.
- Intervention group received parent-implemented EDI via bi-weekly home visits for 3 years, starting from one month after birth.
- The primary outcome was the Mental Development Index (MDI) assessed at 36 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition.
Main Results:
- Infants in the EDI group showed a significantly higher MDI compared to resuscitated control infants (P=.0202).
- No significant difference in MDI was observed between EDI and control groups for non-resuscitated infants (P=.1392).
- The Psychomotor Development Index was significantly higher in the EDI group for both resuscitated (P=.0430) and non-resuscitated infants (P=.0164).
Conclusions:
- Home-based, parent-provided EDI demonstrates significant benefits for cognitive and psychomotor development in children resuscitated at birth.
- EDI positively impacts developmental outcomes, suggesting its value as a supportive intervention for at-risk infants.
- Both resuscitated and non-resuscitated infants in the study maintained normal MDI and Psychomotor Development Index scores.
Objective:
To determine if early developmental intervention (EDI) improves developmental abilities in resuscitated children.
Study Design:
This was a parallel group, randomized controlled trial of infants unresponsive to stimulation who received bag and mask ventilation as part of their resuscitation at birth and infants who did not require any resuscitation born in rural communities in India, Pakistan, and Zambia. Intervention infants received a parent-implemented EDI delivered with home visits by parent trainers every other week for 3 years starting the first month after birth. Parents in both intervention and control groups received health and safety counseling during home visits on the same schedule. The main outcome measure was the Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition, assessed at 36 months by evaluators unaware of treatment group and resuscitation history.
Results:
MDI was higher in the EDI (102.6 ± 9.8) compared with the control resuscitated children (98.0 ± 14.6, 1-sided P = .0202), but there was no difference between groups in the nonresuscitated children (100.1 ± 10.7 vs 97.7 ± 10.4, P = .1392). The Psychomotor Development Index was higher in the EDI group for both the resuscitated (P = .0430) and nonresuscitated children (P = .0164).
Conclusions:
This trial of home-based, parent provided EDI in children resuscitated at birth provides evidence of treatment benefits on cognitive and psychomotor outcomes. MDI and Psychomotor Development Index scores of both nonresuscitated and resuscitated infants were within normal range, independent of early intervention.
