Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Early developmental intervention and neurodevelopmental trajectories in preterm infants without severe brain injury
Jungha Yun1, Seong Phil Bae2,3, Do Hyun Kim4,5
1Department of Pediatrics, The Catholic University of Korea Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Early intervention improves motor development in preterm infants. This support helps mitigate developmental delays, leading to better functional outcomes for high-risk infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Developmental pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Early developmental intervention leverages neuroplasticity to improve outcomes in preterm infants.
- This study examines early intervention's impact on neurodevelopment in preterm infants without severe brain injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between early intervention and neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood among preterm infants.
- To assess the effectiveness of early intervention in mitigating motor developmental delays.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of very-low-birth-weight infants (23+0-32+6 weeks' gestation) from the Korean Neonatal Network.
- Neurodevelopmental evaluation at 18-24 months corrected age and 33-45 months chronological age using standardized tests.
- Early intervention defined as initiation of motor or language therapy before 18-24 months corrected age.
Main Results:
- Of 1797 infants, 518 (28.8%) received early intervention.
- Infants receiving early intervention had lower gestational age and higher complication rates.
- Early intervention was associated with a reduced risk of motor developmental delays over time (aOR 0.669).
Conclusions:
- Early intervention is linked to more favorable motor outcomes in preterm infants.
- Timely support is crucial for high-risk preterm infants.
- Early intervention can help offset developmental impacts of preterm complications.
Background:
Early developmental intervention seeks to enhance functional outcomes in preterm infants by leveraging neuroplasticity. We investigated the relationship between early intervention and neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood among preterm infants without severe brain injury.
Methods:
This prospective cohort study enrolled very-low-birth-weight infants (23+0-32+6 weeks' gestation) registered in the Korean Neonatal Network. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at corrected ages 18-24 months and chronological ages 33-45 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Second or Third Edition), the Korean Developmental Screening Test, or both. Infants who began motor-based or language therapy prior to 18-24 months of corrected age were defined as the early intervention group.
Results:
Of the 1797 infants who completed follow-up, 518 (28.8%) received early intervention. Compared to infants without early intervention, those with early intervention had lower gestational age and higher rates of prematurity-related complications and post-discharge rehospitalizations. The interaction between the intervention group and assessment time was statistically significant, indicating that early intervention was associated with a reduced risk of motor developmental delays over time (adjusted odds ratio 0.669, 95% confidence interval 0.472-0.949).
Conclusion:
Early intervention was associated with more favorable motor outcomes, highlighting the importance of timely support for high-risk preterm infants.
Impact:
Preterm infants with greater medical complexity more commonly received early intervention. Early intervention mitigated the progression of motor developmental delays over time. An enriched early environment may help offset the negative developmental impact of preterm complications.
More Related Videos
07:36Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Published on: November 20, 2015
11:50Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
