Neurobehavioral and developmental profile of very low birthweight preterm infants in early infancy.

Full Abstract

AIM:
To describe the neurobehavioral and developmental profile of very low birthweight (VLBW) preterm infants in early infancy.

METHODS:
Twenty VLBW infants and 10 term control infants were assessed at term, 3 and 6 mo of age. Neurobehavioral assessments included the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) at term; the Infant Behavioral Assessment at term, 3 and 6 mo of age and the Behavioral Rating Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) at 3 and 6 mo of age. Development was evaluated with the Bayley Motor and Mental Scale at 3 and 6 mo.

RESULTS:
At term age VLBW infants differed from term infants on all the clusters and supplementary items of the NBAS. VLBW infants also showed more stress and less approach behavior at term and 6 mo of age and more problems with self-regulation in all subsystems at 6 mo of age. Moreover, VLBW infants performed lower on the Bayley Motor, Mental and Behavioral Rating Scale:
12 VLBW infants scored questionable or non-optimal on the Psychomotor Development Index and 18 questionable or non-optimal on the Behavioral Rating Scale. These results support the need for neurobehavioral intervention of VLBW infants in the first 6 mo of life.

CONCLUSION:
Almost all VLBW infants showed non-optimal motor quality behavior at 6 mo and encountered far more problems with self-regulation compared with term infants.

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Author information

Author/s: Wolf, M J (MJ); Koldewijn, K (K); Beelen, A (A); Smit, B (B); Hedlund, R (R); de Groot, I J M (IJ);

Affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.j.wolf(-atsign-)amc.uva.nl

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) (Acta Paediatr), published in Norway. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 91 (issue 8) : pp 930-8

Dates: Created 2002/09/11; Completed 2003/01/22; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12222718, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Age Factors
Child Development - physiology
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant Behavior - physiology
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature - growth & development; physiology

Infant, Premature - growth & development; physiology
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight - growth & development; physiology
Male
Mental Disorders - etiology; physiopathology
Nervous System Diseases - etiology; physiopathology
Neuropsychological Tests
Risk Factors
Sensitivity and Specificity

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