Promoting Developmental Outcomes of Premature Infants by the Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE)

Objective: Premature neonates are at greater risk for developmental problems such as cerebral palsy, delays in development, hearing problems, and problems seeing. The challenge encountering healthcare professionals who support preterm neonates and their parents is not only a matter of ensuring neonates survival, but to optimize infant development. Interventions to reduce adverse health outcomes are very serious. Present study was focused to explore the effect of the Creating Opportunities for Parent Empowerment (COPE) schedule on the developmental outcomes of premature infants Method: The randomization process was done using randomized block design and neonates were assigned randomly to the treatment (n=20), and control (n=20) groups. Neonates in two groups were matched evenly for all variables (gestational age, birth length, circumference of head at birth, birth weight Apgar scores (1 min, 5 min), prematurity, and New Ballard Score and there was not a significant difference between them at basis.). In intervention group, the parents received COPE schedule contained in a set of CD’s in conjunction with written instruction and supplementing activities (guidebook). COPE schedule was performed in 5 steps. In the control group, neonates received only routine services and interventions and no additional interventions were performed by the research therapist. New Ballard examination was done in all the neonates at the time of enrollment, followed by administration of Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) by an occupational therapist, double-blinded for the study, to any of the available parent (mostly mothers) at 6 months of corrected age. Finding: The results showed more maturity in “Communication”, “Gross motor”, “Problem solving”, and “Personal-Social” in intervention group and observed difference between two groups in these clusters was statistically significant (P-value < 0.05). Conclusion: This educational-behavioral intervention program could promote knowledge of mothers about their neonates and improve the developmental aspects of premature infants during the first months of life.