Educational Handouts for Parents of Premature Infants/Toddlers Discussing Age Adjusted Growth and Development

Abstract

Purpose/Objective: The purpose of this practice inquiry was to propose the development and evaluation of Information for Parents of Premature Infants (IPPI). The IPPI is an educational handout that increases parent knowledge by discussing the growth and developmental expectations of a premature infant at a particular adjusted age. The IPPI includes: growth patterns; motor development; nutritional requirements; provider contact information; and useful informational resources. Specifically, this tool encourages the PCP to appropriately assess the premature infant's development based on adjusted age, preventing misdiagnosis or needless referrals. The development of the IPPI was guided by the four principles of Levine's model of conservation, and a plan for implementation and evaluation of the IPPI has been drafted utilizing the five components of the RE-AIM framework. Introduction: Each year one-in-nine babies are born prematurely in the United States. Over the last 25 years the rate of premature birth has increased by 36%. Compared to parenting a term infant, parents of premature infants face a significant number of challenges and stress. The cause of such stress is due to a lack of knowledge regarding the unique physical and developmental care needs of a premature infant and the lack of available educational resources that are designed to address this deficit. Rationale: The increased incidence of premature births has placed an enormous burden on primary care providers (PCP) to meet the exceptional health and developmental needs of this vulnerable population. The neurodevelopmental expectations for premature infants vary significantly when compared to those of full-term infants and in addition to the risk for neurodevelopment disabilities there is a significant amount of stress faced by parents. In order to manage the care and physical needs of a preterm infant and have the confidence to bond with their fragile infants, parents need a great deal of support and education regarding the unique physical and developmental needs of their premature infant. Furthermore, parents must rely on the baby's PCP to have the ability to recognize the sequelae that is associated with premature birth and provide appropriate education, anticipatory guidance, resources, and reassurance.