Effectiveness of hospital-based developmental care interventions for improving neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm

Sukanya Kankaew1,2, Tippawan Srichalerm1,2, Sutasinee Saehoong1,2

  • 1Ramathibodi School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

JBI Evidence Synthesis
|January 7, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Hospital-based developmental care interventions aim to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. This review synthesizes evidence on their effectiveness up to two years corrected age.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Evidence-based practice

Background:

  • Preterm infants face developmental risks due to immaturity and extrauterine environment.
  • Developmental care strategies aim to mitigate these risks and optimize outcomes.
  • The efficacy of these interventions for preterm infants' neurodevelopment is not fully established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the effectiveness of hospital-based developmental care interventions.
  • To assess impacts on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants up to two years corrected age.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review following JBI methodology.
  • Inclusion of experimental and quasi-experimental studies on developmental care interventions.
  • Comprehensive search of multiple databases and gray literature, with narrative synthesis and potential meta-analysis.

Main Results:

  • This section is to be populated upon completion of the review.

Conclusions:

  • This section is to be populated upon completion of the review.
Abstract