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Published on: August 25, 2014
Neurodevelopmental outcomes and predictors among late preterm infants: a 6-month prospective cohort study
Shrisruthi Suresh1, Vadivelan Kanniappan2, Sushmitha Kannairam1
1SRM College of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India.
Insights
Parental and therapist developmental assessments for late preterm infants align at 3 months but diverge by 6 months, highlighting the need for caregiver education in early neurodevelopmental surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Pediatric neurodevelopment
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Late preterm infants (33-36 weeks gestation) face heightened risks for neurodevelopmental delays.
- Subtle signs and inconsistent follow-up often lead to underdiagnosis of these delays.
- Limited research compares parental recognition of developmental concerns with professional assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare parental and therapist developmental scores in late preterm infants at 3 and 6 months corrected age.
- To identify predictors influencing these developmental scores.
- To evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Sixty late preterm infants were screened using the Trivandrum Developmental Screening Tool (TDST) at discharge.
- Follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months corrected age involved independent TDST completion by both parents and therapists.
- Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and regression analyses.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in overall TDST scores between parents and therapists at 3 months corrected age.
- Significant differences emerged by 6 months corrected age (p < 0.001).
- Rolling and object transfer were identified as key predictors for both parent and therapist scores at 6 months.
Conclusions:
- Parental and therapist developmental assessments show alignment at 3 months but significant discrepancies by 6 months.
- These findings underscore the critical role of caregiver education in early neurodevelopmental surveillance.
- Early identification and intervention are crucial for optimizing outcomes in late preterm infants.
Background:
Late preterm infants (33-36 weeks gestation) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental delays, but early signs often go unrecognized due to subtle presentations and inconsistent follow-up. While screening tools are available, few studies have examined how well parents identify developmental concerns compared to trained professionals.
Aim:
To evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes in late preterm infants at 3 and 6 months of corrected age by comparing parental and therapist-reported developmental scores, and to identify predictors influencing developmental scores.
Methods:
Sixty late preterm infants were screened using the Trivandrum Developmental Screening Tool (TDST) at discharge and followed up at 3 and 6 months of corrected age. Both therapists and parents completed the TDST independently during follow-up. Developmental scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors that influence parent and therapist scoring. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
At 3 months there is no significant difference between the parent and therapist TDST overall scores, while at 6 months, therapist and parent TDST overall scores showed significant difference (p < 0.001). Regression analysis identified rolling and object transfer as strong predictors of overall scores for both parent and therapist scores at 6 months.
Conclusions:
Despite similar overall scores at 3 months, significant discrepancies between parent and therapist scoring emerged by 6 months. These findings emphasise the importance of caregiver education in early neurodevelopmental surveillance.
