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Characterizing Early State Regulation in Preterm Infants

Jonathan S Litt1, Timmy Ho1, Evelyn Obregon1

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|March 26, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants often experience irritability and routine difficulties post-neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. These state regulation challenges persist for at least six months, indicating a need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Development
  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Infant Health

Background:

  • Preterm infants face unique challenges after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge.
  • Understanding their state regulation and behavioral patterns is crucial for optimal development.
  • Existing data on post-discharge outcomes for this population requires further characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the state regulation and behaviors of preterm infants following NICU discharge.
  • To identify patterns and correlates of regulatory difficulties in the first six months post-discharge.
  • To inform potential interventions for improving preterm infant outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study recruiting singleton infants born at ≤35 weeks gestational age before NICU discharge.
  • Parental surveys administered at discharge and 1, 3, and 6 months post-discharge.
  • Utilized the Baby Pediatric Symptom Checklist (BPSC) for state regulation and feeding behaviors, alongside medical record review.

Main Results:

  • High median scores for irritability and difficulty with routines compared to population norms were observed.
  • 40% of infants exhibited problem scores for irritability and 38% for routine difficulties at 1 month post-discharge.
  • BPSC scores demonstrated distinct longitudinal patterns and correlated with infant feeding behaviors throughout the study period.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm infants exhibit significant challenges in state regulation, particularly irritability and routine difficulties, persisting post-NICU discharge.
  • These regulatory issues deviate from population norms up to six months after discharge.
  • Findings suggest a need for directed interventions to support state regulation in preterm infants.
Abstract

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