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Neurobehavioral assessment of high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit
1Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, Washington 99220-2555.
Insights
Caregivers can support infant development by structuring the environment to foster neurobehavioral organization. This approach aids high-risk infants and families by enhancing understanding and interaction through specialized assessments.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Infant neurobehavioral organization
Background:
- Infant neurobehavioral organization involves self-organization of the central nervous system influenced by maturation and environment.
- Caregivers play a crucial role in structuring the environment to support infant development.
- High-risk infant care prioritizes supporting emerging neurobehavioral organization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the theoretical underpinnings of neurobehavioral organization in infants.
- To examine the impact of neurobehavioral organization on infants and their families.
- To outline assessments for neonatal occupational therapists working with high-risk infants.
Main Methods:
- Review of theoretical frameworks for neurobehavioral organization.
- Discussion of the effects on infant and family well-being.
- Description of available neurobehavioral assessment tools for neonatal occupational therapists.
Main Results:
- Neurobehavioral organization is a key concept in understanding infant development and care.
- Caregiver involvement in structuring the environment is vital for supporting infants.
- Neurobehavioral assessments provide valuable insights for parents and therapists.
Conclusions:
- Understanding neurobehavioral organization is essential for optimizing care for high-risk infants.
- Neurobehavioral assessments empower parents to better understand and interact with their infants.
- Occupational therapists can utilize these assessments to facilitate appropriate parent-infant interaction and support development.
Abstract:
Neurobehavioral organization describes infants' abilities to organize themselves within their central nervous system maturation and environment. As part of infants' environment, caregivers can structure the environment to support infants' development. Care of the high-risk infant emphasizes support of infants' emerging neurobehavioral organization. This article describes the theoretical rationale of neurobehavioral organization, effect on the infant and family, and assessments available to the neonatal occupational therapist for use with high-risk infants. Information gained via neurobehavioral assessment can be used to engage parents in better understanding their infant's behaviors and interact at a level appropriate with their infant.