A pilot study on early home-based intervention through an intelligent baby gym (CareToy) in preterm infants

TY - JOUR

T1 - A pilot study on early home-based intervention through an intelligent baby gym (CareToy) in preterm infants

AU - Sgandurra, Giuseppina

AU - Bartalena, Laura

AU - Cecchi, Francesca

AU - Cioni, Giovanni

AU - Giampietri, Matteo

AU - Greisen, Gorm

AU - Herskind, Anna

AU - Inguaggiato, Emanuela

AU - Lorentzen, Jakob

AU - Nielsen, Jens Bo

AU - Orlando, Martina

AU - Dario, Paolo

AU - CareToy Consortium

N1 - CURIS 2016 NEXS 052

PY - 2016/6/1

Y1 - 2016/6/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: CareToy is an intelligent system, inspired by baby gyms, aimed to provide an intensive, individualized, home-based and family-centred early intervention (EI) program.AIMS: A pilot study was carried out to explore the feasibility of CareToy intervention in preterm infants, aged 3-9 months of corrected age.METHODS: Twenty low-risk preterm infants, without brain lesion or other clinical complications (14 allocated to CareToy intervention and 6 to Standard Care) were recruited. The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) was predefined as the primary outcome measure and Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Teller Acuity Cards as secondary measures. Moreover, 202 pre-programmed training scenarios were developed and instructions for the management of CareToy intervention were defined as general guidelines.OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: All infants received 4 weeks of their allocated intervention and were evaluated with the selected tests before and immediately after the 4 weeks. The mean difference changes in IMP total score and Teller Acuity Cards over the intervention period were higher in the CareToy group than in the Standard Care group.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: CareToy seems a feasible device for providing EI. An adequately powered randomized clinical trial is warranted.

AB - BACKGROUND: CareToy is an intelligent system, inspired by baby gyms, aimed to provide an intensive, individualized, home-based and family-centred early intervention (EI) program.AIMS: A pilot study was carried out to explore the feasibility of CareToy intervention in preterm infants, aged 3-9 months of corrected age.METHODS: Twenty low-risk preterm infants, without brain lesion or other clinical complications (14 allocated to CareToy intervention and 6 to Standard Care) were recruited. The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) was predefined as the primary outcome measure and Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Teller Acuity Cards as secondary measures. Moreover, 202 pre-programmed training scenarios were developed and instructions for the management of CareToy intervention were defined as general guidelines.OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: All infants received 4 weeks of their allocated intervention and were evaluated with the selected tests before and immediately after the 4 weeks. The mean difference changes in IMP total score and Teller Acuity Cards over the intervention period were higher in the CareToy group than in the Standard Care group.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: CareToy seems a feasible device for providing EI. An adequately powered randomized clinical trial is warranted.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.01.013

DO - 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.01.013

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26851385

SN - 0891-4222

VL - 53-54

SP - 32

EP - 42

JO - Research in Developmental Disabilities

JF - Research in Developmental Disabilities

ER -