Infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants improves independency in mobility at preschool age

To evaluate the effects of the Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program(©) (IBAIP) in very low birth weight infants on sensory processing and daily activities at preschool age. Follow-up of children included in a randomized controlled trial. Eighty-six infants were enrolled in post-discharge IBAIP until 6 months corrected age, and 90 infants received standard care. At 3.5 years of age, the Sensory Profile-Dutch version (SP-NL) and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Dutch version (PEDI-NL) were administered. For comparison, parents of 41 term-born children also completed the SP-NL. Seventy-six children (88%) in the IBAIP group and 75 children (83%) children in the control group were examined at 44 months corrected age. After adjustment for pre-randomization differences in perinatal characteristics, the IBAIP group outperformed the control group significantly on SP-NL domains of oral sensory processing and sensory processing related to endurance/tone and PEDI-NL domains of mobility. The control group only scored significantly lower than the term group on the SP-NL domain endurance/tone. The very low birth weight groups performed significantly below the PEDI-NL's norm. In line with the positive developmental effects of the IBAIP until 24 months corrected age, independency in mobility in daily activities was improved at 3.5 years