The Use of an Age-linked Web Application for Parents During and After a NICU Stay in Improving Child Development and Parent Empowerment

The main purpose of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is to optimize the development of the newborn. Preterm children are at greater risk for developmental disorders. On the one hand, this is due to cerebral complications inherent to the prematurity, on the other hand it is related to the very early and therefore vulnerable stage of brain development at the time of the premature birth. The development of the child is also the result of a constant interaction between the infant and its environment, primarily the primary caregiver (i.e. the parents). A premature birth can cause great stress to parents, and there are several obstacles that can make it difficult to handle their child. Therefore, we have developed a web application that supports parents until their child reaches the age of two. By keeping them informed, we hope to make them more confident in their role as parents, and thus facilitate the parent-child interaction. In order to determine whether this form of support has an additional effect on the development of the premature child, we compare two groups of premature infants and a group of non-premature infants.