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Longitudinal outcomes of a parent-administered sensorimotor intervention in preterm infants at 4 and 18 months
Lorraine Smith1, Adele McParlan2, Talia Niss2
1School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Insights
The parent-administered sensorimotor intervention (PASI) positively impacted breastfeeding and reduced parental concerns in preterm infants. Long-term developmental outcomes and quality of life showed no significant group differences at 18 months corrected gestational age.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Development
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Early parent-delivered interventions in NICU aim to enhance infant development.
- Research on sustained benefits of these interventions in preterm infants is limited.
- This study evaluates the long-term impact of the parent-administered sensorimotor intervention (PASI).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the parent-administered sensorimotor intervention (PASI) on developmental outcomes in preterm infants.
- To assess sustained benefits at 4 and 18 months corrected gestational age (CGA).
- To examine effects on child's health-related quality of life at 18 months CGA.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal follow-up study after a randomized clinical trial (RCT).
- Assessments at 4 and 18 months corrected gestational age (CGA) by a blinded examiner.
- Utilized TIMP, FDM, neurological disorder diagnosis, IDI, and PedsQL for outcome measures.
Main Results:
- At 4 months CGA, more infants in the experimental group received direct breastfeeds (38% vs. 12%, p=0.032).
- At 18 months CGA, no significant differences in developmental outcomes or quality of life were observed between groups.
- Parents in the control group reported more developmental concerns compared to the experimental group.
Conclusions:
- The PASI demonstrated lasting positive effects on breastfeeding outcomes.
- PASI positively influenced parents' perceptions of their child's developmental concerns.
- Early postnatal experiences significantly impact long-term developmental trajectories in preterm infants.
Purpose:
Despite the increasing focus on early parent-delivered interventions in neonatal intensive care units to enhance infant development, there remains a research gap concerning the sustained benefits of such interventions in preterm infants. This study evaluated the impact of the parent-administered sensorimotor intervention (PASI) on developmental outcomes of infants previously enrolled in a randomized clinical trial (RCT).
Method:
A prospective longitudinal follow-up study following the RCT at 4 and 18 months corrected gestational age (CGA) was conducted. A blinded examiner conducted the follow-up assessments. The study outcomes developmental outcome at both time points and the child's health-related quality of life at 18 months CGA using various means: Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP), the Feeding and Developmental Milestone Questionnaire (FDM), diagnosis of severe neurological disorder, the Infant Development Inventory (IDI) and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).
Results:
At 4 months CGA, 47 infants participated in the follow-up, with more infants in the experimental group receiving direct breastfeeds compared to the control group (38 % vs. 12 %, p = 0.032). At 18 months CGA, 51 infants were followed, showing no significant differences in developmental outcomes or health-related quality of life between groups. However, more parents in the control group reported developmental concerns about their child compared to those in the experimental group.
Conclusion:
The PASI appears to have lasting positive effects on breastfeeding outcomes for infants and on parents' perceptions of developmental concerns. These findings underscore the importance of early postnatal experiences in influencing the long-term developmental trajectories of infants born preterm.
