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 .
Follow-up Outcomes at 1 and 2 Years of Infants Born Less Than 32 Weeks After Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program
OBJECTIVE . This was a r and omized , controlled trial to investigate the effect of Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program on growth , cognitive , psychomotor , and neuromotor development at 1 and 2 years in infants born at < 32 weeks ’ gestational age . METHODS . Infants were r and omly assigned within 48 hours of birth to the  newborn individualized developmental care and assessment program group ( intervention ) or basic developmental care group ( control group [ ie , incubator covers and nests ] ) . At 1 and 2 years ’ corrected age , growth was measured and st and ardized neurologic examinations were administered . Mental and psychomotor development was assessed by using the Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II . Neurologic outcome , Psychomotor Developmental Index , and Mental Developmental Index scores were combined a total outcome measure . RESULTS . One hundred sixty-eight infants were recruited ( intervention : 84 ; control : 84 ) . Four infants ( newborn intervention : 3 ; control : 1 ) were excluded because they were admitted less than or died within the first 5 days , leaving a total of 164 infants who met inclusion criteria .  In-hospital mortality was 8 of 81 in the intervention group and 3 of 83 in the control group . At 1 year of age 148 children ( intervention : 70 ; control : 78 ) and at 2 years of age 146 children ( intervention : 68 ; control : 78 ) were assessed . There was no significant difference in growth at 1 and 2 years of age . There was no significant difference found in neurologic outcomes or mental and psychomotor development at 1 and 2 years of age . When neurologic outcome , Mental Developmental Index and Psychomotor Developmental Index scores were combined , there still remained no significant difference . CONCLUSIONS . Newborn individualized developmental care and assessment program developmental care showed no effect on growth or neurologic , mental , or psychomotor development at 1 and 2 years of age in infants born at < 32 weeks . Duration of the intervention was not associated with neurologic and developmental outcome
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 .