The infant behavioral assessment and intervention program in very low birth weight infants; Outcome on executive functioning, behaviour and cognition at preschool age

Gijs Verkerk, Martine Jeukens-Visser, Bregje Houtzager, Karen Koldewijn, Aleid van Wassenaer, Frans Nollet, Joke Kok

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The Infant Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Program (IBAIP (c)) improved motor function at 24 months, and mental and behavioural development in high risk subgroups of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Aim: To determine IBAIP's effects on executive functioning, behaviour and cognition at preschool age. Study design: Follow-up of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Subjects: At 44 months corrected age, all 176 VLBW infants were invited for follow-up. Forty-one term born children were assessed for comparison. Outcome measures: Visual Attention Task (VAT), Gift delay, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test III-NL (PPVT), Visual motor integration tests and Miller assessment for preschoolers. Parents completed Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Results: At preschool age, 76 (88%) children of the intervention group and 75 (83%) children of the control group participated. There were no significant differences between the intervention and the control group. However, positive interaction effects between intervention and infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, infants born at gestational age <28 weeks, and infants of low educated mothers were found on CBCL, CBCL and BRIEF-P, and PPVT respectively. Most interaction effects exceeded 1 standard deviation in favour of the intervention children. The 151 VLBW children performed significantly worse than the term born children on the VAT, BRIEF-P and CBCL. Conclusion: IBAIP effects in VLBW children did not sustain until preschool age on executive functioning, behaviour and cognition. However, the most vulnerable children had a clinical relevant profit from IBAIP. VLBW children performed worse than the term born children. This study is a follow-up at preschool age of the multi-centre RCT of IBAIP versus usual care in VLBW infants. The RCT was performed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (IBAIP RCT registered on http://www.controlled-trials.com number ISRCTN65503576). (c) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)699-705
JournalEarly Human Development
Volume88
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Cite this