The effects of early-stage neurodevelopmental treatment on the growth of premature infants in neonatal intensive care unit

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of early-stage neurodevelopmental treatment on the growth of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. A total of 85 premature infants were included in this study. Infants with a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg and of 2.5 kg or higher were classified as premature infants with a high risk of growth delay and with a low risk of growth delay respectively. Of the 55 premature infants with a high risk of growth delay, 27 premature infants were placed in the intervention group and 28 were placed in the control group according to their hospitalization time. Thirty premature infants with a low risk of growth delay were included in the comparative group. The same general nursing care of the neonatal intensive care unit was provided to the intervention group, the control group, and the comparative group, but an additional neurodevelopmental treatment program was given only to the intervention group, for 15 min per session, 4 times a week, up to 40 weeks after conception. As growth indicators, the body weight and head circumference were measured before and 2 weeks after the intervention, and at 40 weeks after conception when the intervention was completed. The body weight and head circumference of the intervention group, which received the neurodevelopmental treatment, were significantly improved compared to the control group (P<0.05), but they were not significantly different from those of the comparative group. However, the body weight and head circumference of the control.