Abstract
Background
Survival of preterm babies has improved and the focus now is on intact survival. Early detection of developmental delay is crucial so that diagnostic-specific early intervention can be commenced to optimize neuroplasticity.
Objective
Primary: To assess the neurodevelopmental outcome by measuring preterm infants’ mean composite score for cognition, language, and motor skills. Secondary: To calculate the degree of developmental delay.
Study design
A Cohort Study.
Participants
Preterm neonates.
Intervention
Bayley-III assessment done between 18 and 42 months.
Results
Seventy preterm neonates were assessed between 18 and 42 months of age. They were divided into two groups based on gestational age. Mean composite score for cognition (<30 weeks = 79.84 ± 7.88 and >30 weeks = 86.32 ± 9.28; 95%CI: 81.16–85.55), language (<30 weeks = 79.16 ± 11.55 and >30 weeks = 89.37 ± 11.61; 95%CI: 81.90–87.70), and mean Motor scores (<30 weeks 81.69 ± 17.82 and >30 weeks = 89.84 ± 10.46; 95%CI: 82.59–89.63) were statistically significant. There was more than half the standard deviation deficit of composite scores between the two groups. Eighty-one percent had a moderate delay in cognition in the <30 weeks group as compared to 65.8% in >30 weeks. Similarly, for language and motor scores, 43.8% and 31.3% had a moderate delay in <30 weeks as compared to 39.5% and 42.1% for >30 weeks, respectively.
Conclusion
Higher composite scores were observed among infants >30 weeks gestation. There was more than half a standard deviation deficit in composite scores among those <30 weeks of gestational age. The most affected was the language component.
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