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 .
Improvement of Short- and Long-Term Outcomes for Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Edmonton NIDCAP Trial
OBJECTIVE : Our objective was to determine the impact of Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP)-based care on length of stay of very low birth weight ( VLBW ) infants . Secondary outcome measures were days of ventilation , incidence of chronic lung disease , and 18-month neurodevelopmental outcomes . METHODS : This cluster-r and omized , controlled trial took place in a large NICU in Canada , with follow-up evaluation at 18 months of age , from September 1999 to September 2004 . One hundred VLBW singleton infants and 10 VLBW twin sets were assigned r and omly to NIDCAP-based or control care , and 90 % participated in follow-up assessment s. The intervention was NIDCAP-based care ( N = 56 ) , that is , care by NIDCAP-educated staff members and behavioral observations . The control group ( N = 55 ) received st and ard NICU care . Statistical analyses were adjusted for cluster r and omization . Although the intervention was not blinded , the pediatricians making the decisions to discharge the infants were not involved in the study , and the follow-up staff members were blinded with respect to group . RESULTS : NIDCAP group infants had reduced length of stay ( median : NIDCAP : 74 days ; control : 84 days ; P = .003 ) and incidence of chronic lung disease ( NIDCAP : 29 % ; control : 49 % ; odds ratio : 0.42 [ 95 % confidence interval : 0.18–0.95 ] ; P = .035 ) . At 18 months of adjusted age , NIDCAP group infants had less disability , specifically mental delay ( NIDCAP : 10 % ; control : 30 % ; odds ratio : 0.25 [ 95 % confidence interval : 0.08–0.82 ] ; P = .017 ) . CONCLUSION : NIDCAP-based care for VLBW infants improved short- and long-term outcomes significantly
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 .