Early Physiotherapy for At-Risk Infants to Improve Motor Skills and Development

What this Trial Is About

Advances in neonatal care have improved survival rates for very low birth weight infants but have led to increased rates of conditions such as cerebral palsy, cardiorespiratory disorders, blindness, cognitive delays, and hearing impairments. Early diagnosis and intervention programs in neonatal intensive care units NICU aim to support the development of these at-risk infants by normalizing their motor, cognitive, and sensory skills. This study focuses on evaluating the effects of early family-involved physiotherapy on motor development in infants at risk after NICU discharge, using tools like Prechtls General Movements Assessment and the Motor Optimality Score - Revised MOS-R. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an early physiotherapy program or a control group. The intervention group will receive a tailored family collaborative physiotherapy program including education on handling, carrying, positioning, and sucking facilitation to stimulate postural responses, integrated into daily routines. The control group will receive routine developmental NICU care plus a one-time instruction on positioning and carrying at discharge. The program continues with family recommendations until the infant reaches the studys evaluation points. Participants will be assessed for motor skills using the Motor Optimality Score and Prechtls General Movements Assessment between 12 and 20 weeks postterm. Additional evaluations include neurological exams Hammersmith Neonatal and Infant Neurological Examinations and cognitive and language development assessments BAYLEY-III at 3 and 6 months corrected age. Sociodemographic data will be collected at baseline. The study aims to measure the impact of early physiotherapy on neurological and developmental outcomes in at-risk infants within a 4-month age range.

Effects of Early Physiotherapy on Motor Optimality Score in At-Risk of Infants