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A Systematic Review of Neurodevelopmental Tools for Preterm Infants During Infancy: Mapping the Components Across
Vadivelan Kanniappan1, Manikumar Muthiah1, J R Abishek1
1SRM College of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India.
Insights
Early screening for preterm birth impairments is crucial. This review maps neurodevelopmental assessment tools for infants, highlighting the need for validated, accessible options in India.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Pediatric neurology
- Public health
Background:
- Rising preterm birth rates necessitate early detection of related impairments.
- Current neurodevelopmental assessment tools are often complex and difficult to administer.
- There is a need for accessible screening methods for preterm infants, particularly in India.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and map components of available neurodevelopmental assessment tools for preterm infants.
- To create a quick reference guide for clinical practice in India.
- To identify the need for psychometric validation of tools in the preterm population.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and gray literature (2000-2023).
- Keywords: preterm newborns, neurodevelopmental assessment.
- Analysis focused on mapping tool components across infant age quarters.
Main Results:
- 30 tools were identified; 10 were included due to accessibility.
- Primitive reflexes are key in the first quarter for early red flag detection.
- Most tools lack specific psychometric validation for preterm populations, questioning their validity and geographical sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- A critical need exists to establish psychometric properties of identified tools in preterm infants.
- Mapped components can serve as a practical reference for healthcare professionals.
- Developing a comprehensive, low-training tool is essential for low- and middle-income countries like India.
Abstract:
With an increasing rate of preterm birth (PTB) and survival rates, PTB-related impairments have become a critical concern that requires early screening and intervention. Though there are multiple neurodevelopmental tools available, their complexity in administration, limits their usage. This research intends to systematic review the available neurodevelopmental assessment tools to map their components in relevant domains in each age quarter of a preterm infant's life to give a quick reference guide for clinical practice in India. A systematic review was undertaken using key keywords linked to preterm newborns and neurodevelopmental assessment in PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and gray literature published from 2000 to 2023. The initial search identified 30 neurodevelopmental tools, but only 10 were included in the analysis due to accessibility constraints. The first quarter concentrated on a great deal on primitive reflexes, which might serve as early warnings of a red flag. Although these tools are used in research, most lack extensive psychometric evaluations specific to preterm populations, raising concern validity and geographical sensitivity, especially in India. There is critical need to establish the psychometrics of the identified tools in preterm population. The components plotted over infant age quarters may be used by health care professionals for a quick reference. Inaccessibility of tools being the major hinderance in pediatric evaluation, these charted components may serve a practical reference frame work for establishing a comprehensive tool that might require less or minimal training suitable for low- and middle-income countries like India.
