Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2025
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Short-term effects of SAFE early intervention approach in infants born preterm: A randomized controlled
Umut Apaydın1, Ramazan Yıldız2, Ayşe Yıldız2
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
Insights
The SAFE early intervention approach significantly improved cognitive, language, and sensory development in preterm infants compared to standard therapy. This approach enhances the home environment and shows promise for early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Early Intervention
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Preterm infants face developmental challenges.
- Early intervention is crucial for optimizing outcomes.
- Family-centered, enriched environments show promise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the short-term effects of the SAFE (Sensory strategies, Activity-based motor training, Family collaboration, and Environmental Enrichment) early intervention approach.
- To assess SAFE's impact on motor, cognitive, speech/language, and sensory development in preterm infants.
- To compare SAFE with a neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT)-based program.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 24 preterm infants (9-10 months corrected age).
- Intervention groups: SAFE approach vs. NDT-based family training.
- Outcome measures included Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III (Bayley III), Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI), Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).
- Parental mental health assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale Short Form (DASS-SF).
Main Results:
- The SAFE group showed significant improvements in Bayley-III cognitive and language scores.
- Significant positive effects were observed in TSFI total scores and AHEMD-IS total scores for the SAFE group.
- No significant differences were found between groups for Bayley-III motor composite scores or COPM measures.
Conclusions:
- The SAFE early intervention approach effectively improved cognitive, speech/language, and sensory outcomes in preterm infants.
- SAFE also enhanced the home environment across all domains compared to the NDT-based program.
- SAFE represents a promising new early intervention strategy for preterm infants.
Objective:
Recent literature suggests that goal-oriented and family-based interventions in enriched environment have a beneficial effect on neuromotor and cognitive development. We aimed to examine the short-term effects of SAFE (Sensory strategies, Activity-based motor training, Family collaboration, and Environmental Enrichment) early intervention approach on motor, cognitive, speech and language, and sensory development in preterm infants.
Methods:
The study's sample population consisted of 24 preterm infants with corrected ages between 9 and 10 months. Infants in the control group participated in the family training program in accordance with the neurodevelopmental therapy principles (NDT). Infants in the treatment group were included in the family training program according to the principles of the SAFE Early Intervention Approach. Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS), Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III (Bayley III) were used to evaluate infants in both groups before and after 10 weeks of treatment (AHEMD-IS). The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale Short Form was used to assess the parents' mental health (DASS-SF).
Results:
The interaction effects (time × group) revealed significant differences for Bayley-III cognitive and language scores, TSFI total score, and AHEMD-IS total score in favor of the SAFE group (p < .05). However, there were no differences in Bayley-III motor composite score, COPM Performance score, and COPM Satisfaction score between the interaction effects (time × group) of the groups (p > .05).
Conclusions:
SAFE early intervention approach improved cognitive, speech and language, sensory outcomes and provide enriched home environment in all domains when compared to NDT-based home program. SAFE is a promising novel early intervention approach for preterm infants.
