Effects of Early Crawling Training on the Motor Development of Very Premature Infants Without Major Brain Damage
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Active, not recruiting
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 48
- Locations
- 4
- Primary Endpoint
- Gross motor score from the Bayley Scale of Infant and toddlers Development III ed.
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Extreme prematurity is constantly increasing according to the World Health Organization. However, methods to train premature infants at risk of disability is sorely lacking. The goal of this project is to overcome this problem. In our previous studies, we discovered that promoting the crawling of typical newborns on a mini skateboard, the Crawliskate (a new tool that we designed and patented EP2974624A1), is an excellent way to stimulate infants' motor and locomotor development. This method is a promising way to provide early interventions in infants at heightened risk for developmental delay, such as premature infants.
The specific objective of this study is to determine if early training in crawling on this mini skateboard will accelerate motor (particularly locomotor) and/or neuropsychological development in very premature infants identified as median risk for developmental delay.
Methodology: We will study and follow three groups of very premature infants born between 24 and 32 weeks of gestational age without major brain lesions. These infants will be recruited before their hospital discharge at the NICU. After their discharge from the hospital, one group of infants will be trained at home by physiotherapists to crawl on the Crawliskate every day for 2 months (Crawli group), one group of infants will be trained at home by physiotherapists positioned prone on a mattress (Mattress group) and one group of infants will receive regular medical care (Control group). All infants will be tested for: 1) their crawling proficiency on the Crawliskate at term-equivalent age (just before training for the trained groups) and at 2 months corrected age (CA, i.e., age determined from the date on which they should have been born), 2) their motor proficiency between 2 and 24 months CA (2D and 3D recording of head control, sitting, crawling, stepping, walking) and 3) their neurodevelopmental, motor and neuropsychological development between 0 and 24 months CA : BSID III edition, ASQ-3, Amiel-Tison's Neurological Assessment, Prechtl Assessment of general movements. One more ASQ-3 questionnaire will be provided at five years.
Expected results: Our first research hypothesis is that premature infants trained daily to crawl (for two months after discharge from the NICU) will acquire proficient crawling patterns and develop earlier and more effective motor and neuropsychological development than premature infants who receive mattress training or no training.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 37 Weeks to 42 Weeks (Child)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Term between 24-32 GA
- •parental consent
- •family living in intervention area
- •good tolerance on the first crawliskate trial
Exclusion Criteria
- •no bronchodysplasia define by oxygen dependency after 36 GA
- •no medical disease
- •no limb deformity
- •no karyotype anomaly
- •no visual or auditory inpairment
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Gross motor score from the Bayley Scale of Infant and toddlers Development III ed.
Time Frame: 12 months corrected age
The Bayley Scale of Infant and toddlers Development III ed. (BSID III) assesses several aspect of development: motor, fine motor, communication, personal social, language and problem solving domain. A score can be obtained for each aspect. At 12 months corrected age we only evaluate gross and fine motor scores, and we consider the gross motor score obtained at 12 months corrected age as the primary outcome of our study. The minimal score is 0 and there is no maximal score (the child is asked to complete several tasks, and the test can continues with questions from an upper age and only stops when a child no longer succeed with the tasks to complete). A higher score means more advanced skills.
Secondary Outcomes
- Prechtl assessment(at 37-41 gestational age and 2 months corrected age)
- Age and Stage questionnaire (ASQ) 3(2, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 corrected age and 5 years)
- All scores from the Bayley Scale of Infant and toddlers Development III ed.(24 months corrected age)
- Amiel-Tison Neurological Assessment(at 37-41 gestational age, 2, 6, 9, 12, 24 months corrected age)
- 2D & 3D analysis of movement(at 37-41 gestational age, 2, 6, 9, 12, 24 months corrected age)
- Fine and gross motor scores from the Bayley Scale of Infant and toddlers Development III ed.(2, 6, 9, 12, 18 months corrected age)
Investigators
Marianne Barbu-Roth
Principal Investigator
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France