In a cohort study of 556 infants born before 30 weeks’ gestation, infants with high-risk neurobehavioral profiles at neonatal intensive care unit discharge and varying medical complications were 4 times more likely to have motor delay, nearly 3 times more likely to have cognitive delay, and 2 times more likely to have behavioral concerns at age 2 years.
In this study, neurobehavioral assessments of preterm infants were useful for identification of those at risk for adverse outcomes beyond medical risk alone and could potentially lead to early, targeted interventions.
