Sustained developmental effects of the infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants at 5.5 years corrected age.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants on cognitive, neuromotor, and behavioral development at 5.5 years corrected age (CA). STUDY DESIGN: In a randomized controlled trial, 86 VLBW infants received post discharge IBAIP intervention until 6 months CA, and 90 VLBW infants received standard care. At 5.5 years CA, cognitive and motor development, and visual-motor integration were assessed with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, third Dutch version, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition, and the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration. Neurologic conditions were assessed with the neurologic examination according to Touwen, and behavior with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. RESULTS: At 5.5 years CA, 69 children in the intervention and 67 children in the control group participated (response rate 77.3%). Verbal and performance IQ-scores<85 occurred significantly less often in the intervention than in the control group (17.9% vs 33.3%, P=.041, and 7.5% vs 21.2%, P=.023, respectively). However, after adjustment for differences, only the OR for performance IQ was significant: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06-0.95. Adjusted mean scores on Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, third version subtasks block design and vocabulary, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition component aiming and catching, and the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration were significantly better in the intervention group. No intervention effect was found on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The IBAIP leads, 5 years after the early neurobehavioral intervention, to improvements on performance IQ, ball skills, and visual-motor integration at 5.5 years CA.

High incidence of multi-domain disabilities in very preterm children at five years of age.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence and co-occurrence of disabilities and their association with parental education in preterm children and term control subjects. STUDY DESIGN: In a prospective study, preterm children (n=104), born at <30 weeks' gestation or birth weight <1000 g, and term children (n=95) were assessed at corrected age 5 with an intelligence quotient (IQ) test, behavior questionnaires for parents and teachers, and motor and neurologic tests. A disability was defined as results in the mild abnormal range of each test or below. Associations of outcomes with parental education were studied. RESULTS: Of the preterm children, 75% had at least one disability and 50% more than one, compared with 27% and 8%, respectively, of term control subjects (P<.01). The preterm-term difference in full scale IQ increased from 5 IQ points if parental education was high to 14 IQ points if it was low, favoring the term children in both groups. A similar pattern was found for behavior, but not for motor and neurologic outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Disabilities occur frequently after very preterm birth and tend to aggregate. Neurologic and motor outcomes are mostly influenced by biologic risk, and social risks contribute to cognitive and behavioral outcome.