Conclusion Current evidence suggests that developmental care in only NICU setting could have significant effect on mental and motor development of preterm infants , especially at 12 months of age .
Background The aim of this study was to review the effects of developmental care in neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) setting on mental and motor development of preterm infants .
Early Intervention Improves Cognitive Outcomes for Preterm Infants: Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVE : The goal was to examine the effectiveness of an early intervention on cognitive and motor outcomes at corrected ages of 3 and 5 years for children with birth weights ( BWs ) of < 2000 g. METHODS : A r and omized controlled trial of a modified version of the Mother-Infant Transaction Program was performed . Outcomes were assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised at 3 and 5 years , respectively . McCarthy Scales of Children 's Abilities and the grooved pegboard test were used to test motor outcomes at 5 years . RESULTS : A total of 146 infants were assigned r and omly ( intervention group : 72 infants ; control group : 74 infants ) . The mean  BWs were 1396 ± 429 g for the intervention group and 1381 ± 436 g for the control group . After adjustment for maternal education , a nonsignificant difference in Mental Developmental Index scores at 3 years of 4.5 points ( 95 % confidence interval : −0.3 to 9.3 points ) in favor of the intervention group was found , whereas the intervention effect on full-scale IQ scores at 5 years was 6.4 points ( 95 % confidence interval : 0.6–12.2 points ) . Significantly more children in the intervention group had IQ scores of ≥85 at 3 and 5 years . There were no differences between the groups with respect to motor outcomes . CONCLUSION : This modified version of the Mother-Infant Transaction Program  improved cognitive outcomes at corrected age of 5 years for children with BWs of < 2000
Conclusion Current evidence suggests that developmental care in only NICU setting could have significant effect on mental and motor development of preterm infants , especially at 12 months of age .
Background The aim of this study was to review the effects of developmental care in neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) setting on mental and motor development of preterm infants .