Is the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) effective for preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction?

• Published in: Journal of perinatology Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 130 - 136
• Main Authors: Als, H, Duffy, F H, McAnulty, G B, Fischer, C B, Kosta, S, Butler, S C, Parad, R B, Blickman, J G, Zurakowski, D, Ringer, S A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01-02-2011; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/1647/1453; 631/477; 692/699/2743/1530; 692/700/1720; Age; Anthropometry; Autonomic nervous system; Behavior; Births; Brain; Brain - growth & development; Brain - physiopathology; Child Development; Demographic aspects; Developmental Disabilities - etiology; Developmental Disabilities - prevention & control; Diagnosis; EEG; Electrophysiology; Families & family life; Fetal Growth Retardation - diagnosis; Fetal Growth Retardation - physiopathology; Fetal Growth Retardation - therapy; Fetus; Gestational age; Growth retardation; Hospitals; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infants; Infants (Newborn); Infants (Premature); Intensive Care, Neonatal - standards; Medical examination; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental performance; Neonates; Neural networks; Neuropsychological Tests; Newborn babies; original-article; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Premature babies; Program Evaluation; Psychomotor Performance; Standard of Care; United States; United States > US; prematurity; behavior; assessment of preterm infants' behavior (APIB); Bayley Scales of Infant Development; EEG; neurological examination
• ISSN: 0743-8346; 1476-5543
• DOI: 10.1038/jp.2010.81

Objective:
This study investigates the effectiveness of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) on neurobehavioral and electrophysiological functioning of preterm infants with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
Study Design:
Thirty IUGR infants, 28 to 33 weeks gestational age, randomized to standard care (control/C=18), or NIDCAP (experimental/E=12), were assessed at 2 weeks corrected age (2wCA) and 9 months corrected age (9mCA) in regard to health, anthropometrics, and neurobehavior, and additionally at 2wCA in regard to electrophysiology (EEG).
Result:
The two groups were comparable in health and anthropometrics at 2wCA and 9mCA. The E-group at 2wCA showed significantly better autonomic, motor, and self-regulation functioning, improved motility, intensity and response thresholds, and reduced EEG connectivity among several adjacent brain regions. At 9mCA, the E-group showed significantly better mental performance.
Conclusion:
This is the first study to show NIDCAP effectiveness for IUGR preterm infants.