Published online March 2, 2009
PEDIATRICS Vol. 123 No. 3 March 2009, pp. 804-809 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0928)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kalia, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Kase, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kalia, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Kase, J.
Related Collections
Right arrow Premature & Newborn
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Comparison of Enrollment in Interventional Therapies Between Late-Preterm and Very Preterm Infants at 12 Months’ Corrected Age

Jessica L. Kalia, DOa, Paul Visintainer, PhDb, Heather L. Brumberg, MD, MPHa,b, Maria Pici, MDc and Jordan Kase, MDa,b

a Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York
b Department of Epidemiology, New York Medical College School of Public Health, Valhalla, New York
c Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Children's Rehabilitation Center, White Plains, New York

OBJECTIVE. To determine the requirement for therapeutic services of late-preterm infants (34 to 36 weeks' gestation) and morbidities associated with their developmental delays compared with their very preterm (<32 weeks' gestation) counterparts.

METHODS. We used a retrospective cohort study of former preterm children admitted to the neonatal unit who were evaluated at the Regional Neonatal Follow-up Program of Westchester Medical Center in New York at 12 ± 2 months' corrected age from January 2005 through October 2006. Logistic regression was used to compare odds ratios between late-preterm and very preterm children who qualified for early intervention services. Antenatal, demographic, and neonatal factors were compared between subgroups.

RESULTS. Of the 497 preterm infants evaluated at the Regional Neonatal Follow-up Program, 127 met inclusion criteria (77 very preterm and 50 late-preterm infants). Of the late-preterm infants, 30% qualified for and received early intervention services, 28% physical therapy, 16% occupational therapy, 10% speech therapy, and 6% special education. In the very preterm subgroup, 70% qualified for and received early intervention services, 66% physical therapy, 32% occupational therapy, 32% speech therapy, and 21% special education. Very preterm children were more likely to be enrolled in therapies than their late-preterm counterparts. However, when adjusting for neonatal comorbidities of prematurity, there was no difference in enrollment in early intervention services between the very preterm and late-preterm infants.

CONCLUSIONS. After controlling for comorbidities of prematurity, we found that late-preterm infants requiring admission to the neonatal unit have the same risk as very preterm infants of requiring interventional therapies. This would indicate that it is not only the degree of prematurity but also the morbidities experienced in the neonatal period in conjunction with the period of rapid brain growth that have a profound influence on neurodevelopmental outcomes. This should be considered when planning their hospital discharge and follow-up.

Key Words: early intervention (education) • late-preterm infants

Abbreviations: EI—early intervention • PT—physical therapy • OT—occupational therapy • ST—speech therapy • SE—special education • AOP—apnea of prematurity • BPD—bronchopulmonary dysplasia • RDS—respiratory distress syndrome • OR—odds ratio • CI—confidence interval • CA—corrected age

Accepted Jun 10, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?