Physiotherapy of At-Risk Infants, Physiotherapist or Family?

Physiotherapy of At-Risk Infants, Physiotherapist or Family? A Randomized Intervention Study

Early physiotherapy reduces neuromotor problems in at-risk infants. This study was planned to compare the effects of an early goal-directed neuromotor physiotherapy (GDNT) application between preterm and term at-risk infants.

Early physiotherapy reduces neuromotor problems in at-risk infants. This study was planned to compare the effects of an early goal-directed neuromotor physiotherapy (GDNT) application between preterm and term at-risk infants. Eighteen at-risk infants between the ages of 0 and 12 months were assigned to the preterm and term groups according to their gestational and corrected age. Each group received GDNT for 45 min, three days per week for 12 weeks. The effectiveness of the therapy was measured using Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), and Goal Attainment Scale (GAS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• being diagnosed as "at-risk" by a pediatric neurologist, having intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leucomalacia, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and prematurity, Apgar score of 5 or less at 5 min, chronic lung disease, seizures, meningitis, hyperbilirubinemia, being twins or triplets, and having intrauterine growth restriction;
• being outside of the neonatal intensive care unit;
• being between 0 and 12 months old (corrected age for premature infants);
• having a family acceptance for the participation in 12 weeks of therapy program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• having congenital anomalies, musculoskeletal disorders, cyanotic congenital heart disease and mechanical dependency, and
• lack of informed content by the parents.