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Intervention in the first weeks of life for infants born late preterm: a case series
Stacey C Dusing1, Michele A Lobo, Hui-Min Lee
1Motor Development Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA. scdusing@vcu.edu
Insights
Parent-delivered movement intervention for late preterm infants showed promise. Early movement experiences may enhance infant development, including postural control and object exploration, with well-tolerated programs.
Area of Science:
- Developmental pediatrics
- Infant motor development
- Early intervention
Background:
- Late preterm infants (34-36 weeks gestation) represent a significant birth population (350,000 annually in the US).
- These infants are at higher risk for developmental delays compared to full-term infants.
- Late preterm infants are often excluded from early intervention studies, limiting research on effective support strategies.
Abstract:
Infants born late preterm (34-36 weeks of gestation) account for 350 000 US births per year, are at risk for developmental delays, and are rarely included in intervention studies.
Purpose:
To describe a novel parent-delivered movement intervention program for very young infants and outcomes following intervention and to evaluate the feasibility of using a comprehensive set of outcome measures.
Summary Of Key Points:
Two infants born late preterm received intervention from 0.5 to 2.0 months of adjusted age. Development, postural control, reaching, and object exploration assessments were completed at 3 time points. The intervention was well tolerated by the family. Improvements in developmental outcomes, postural control, and object exploration are presented.
Statement Of Conclusion:
Very early movement experience provided daily by parents may improve development. In combination, norm-referenced and behavioral measures appear sensitive to changes in infant behaviors.
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