Motor performance in very preterm infants before and after implementation of the newborn individualized developmental care and assessment programme in a neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract

To compare motor performance in supine position at the age of 4-months corrected age (CA) in very preterm (VPT) infants cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before and after the implementation of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). Assessments of motor performance in supine position according to level of motor development and quality of motor performance were made, using the Structured Observation of Motor Performance in Infants (SOMP-I). VPT infants cared for in a NICU at a Swedish university hospital before, Group A (n = 68), and after, Group B (n = 58), the implementation of developmentally supportive care based on NIDCAP. The infants who were treated after the introduction of NIDCAP showed higher level of motor development in the arms/hands and trunk. No significant group differences were noted in total deviation score for the respective limbs, but lower frequency of lateral flexion in head movements, extension-external rotation-abduction, extension-internal rotation-adduction and varus and valgus position in the feet was found in the NIDCAP group, compared with those treated before the introduction. The infants who were treated after NIDCAP care had been implemented showed a higher level of motor development in arms/hand and trunk and fewer deviations in head, legs and feet at 4-months CA than infants treated before NIDCAP implementation. The observed changes may be due to NIDCAP and/or improved perinatal and neonatal care during the studied time period.