Telehealth Delivery of the Homeostasis-Enrichment-Plasticity Approach for Premature Infants With Developmental Risks:...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Telehealth Interventions
• Neuroplasticity Research

Background:

• Preterm delivery presents significant neurodevelopmental risks, necessitating early intervention.
• Logistical and financial barriers often limit access to crucial early intervention services.
• The Homeostasis-Enrichment-Plasticity (HEP) Approach is a family-centered model promoting infant development through enriched environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of the HEP Approach delivered via telehealth.
• To assess the sensitivity to change of developmental outcomes using the HEP Approach in preterm infants.
• To determine the effectiveness of a telehealth-based family-centered early intervention for at-risk premature infants.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post exploratory feasibility study involving 16 preterm infants (4-12 months corrected age).
• A 12-week intervention with weekly remote sessions focusing on enrichment, exploration, and parental guidance.
• Feasibility and acceptability assessed via questionnaire; developmental outcomes measured using standardized tools (YCPEM, ASQ, AIMS, IMP, DASS).

Main Results:

• High adherence (100%) and retention (87.5%) confirmed robust feasibility.
• Parents reported high satisfaction (86%-100%), affirming safety and acceptability with no adverse events.
• Significant improvements observed in infant participation, motor skills, communication, socio-emotional domains, and caregiver well-being (P<.05).

Conclusions:

• Telehealth implementation of the HEP Approach is feasible, safe, and well-accepted by families of preterm infants.
• The intervention demonstrated positive impacts on infant development and caregiver psychosocial status.
• Findings support the HEP Approach via telehealth as a viable, accessible framework, warranting further validation through RCTs.