[Developmental care from theory to action]

The premature or low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit admission are affected not only by body's physiology and immature developmental condition but also by environmental stress; thereby they are at high risk of developing neurodevelopmental delay. The aim of this study was to review the emerging field of neurodevelopmental disorders and strategies to reduce it. In this review article, Iranmedex' Science direct' google Scholar' SID, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO-CINAHL databases between 1960 to 2013 were searched for finding the relevant studies. The review of literature indicates that developmental care mostly reports positive effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes and helps preterm infants cope with the environment of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit [NICU]. Healing environment, partnering with families, positioning and handling, safeguarding sleep and optimizing nutrition are main core measures of developmental care. The structuring and designing of NICU environment for the high risk neonate has important policy implications for neonatal healthcare and beyond hospital stay

effect of adding homeopathic treatment to rehabilitation on abnormal reflexes of children with spastic cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy [CP] is a static encephalopathy with abnormal reflexes that cause motor developmental delay. In addition to conventional methods, complementary medicine like homeopathy has been used in treatment of neuro-developmental disorders. This study has been done to determine the effect of adding homeopathic treatment to rehabilitation on abnormal reflexes of children with spastic cerebral palsy. In this study by using minimization technique subjects were divided to case and control groups. The routine rehabilitation techniques were done in 4 months in both groups. The control group received placebo and the case group received homeopathy drugs. Primitive, spinal, brain stem, midbrain, cortical reflexes and automatic movement reaction in the beginning and the end of four months were assessed and compared in two groups. Data collected by assessment forms, direct observations and examinations. The average age in case and control groups was 28, 28.4 months respectively. Primitive reflexes: Palmar Grasp reflex in 14.3% of cases has improved but in control group has no differences [PV=0.681]. Plantar Grasp and walking reflex in two groups before and after intervention have no differences [PV=1]. Moro reflex in 28.6% of cases and 11.1% of controls improved [PV=0.408]. Regarding to proved effects of homeopathy mentioned in different articles on physical status of children with CP as well as executive limitations, it is not possible to reject the effects of homeopathy on reflexes of children with CP.As homeopathy is young in Iran, it is recommended to make researches about effects of homeopathy on neurodevelopmental disorders

survey of 200 cases of cerebral palsy in welfare and rehabilitation centers of Tehran

Cerebral Palsy [CP] is a non-progressive encephalopathy that may be accompanied by speech, auditory or visual abnormalities; seizure or learning disorder; mental retardation, etc. CP occurs as a result of injury in each phases of brain growth and usually the motor pathways are involved. We decided to investigate this problem, because there is no study on CP [with respect to etiology, types and associated disorders] in Iran. A case-control study was carried out to investigate the effect of risk factors on CP. 200 CP cases and 300 control subjects participated in this study. The results showed that the prenatal factors were the most frequent causes of CP among which low birth weight was the most outstanding factor. Spastic diplegic CP was recorded as the most frequent type [39.5%]. 47% of total CPs and most of the spastic quadriplegic CPs [63%] were mentally retarded. Seizure [35%] and swallowing difficulties were the most frequent in spastic quadriplegic CPs. Speech disorders were observed in 70% of patients although 48% of them were mildly disordered. The most frequent visual abnormality was strabismus which has been observed in spastic diplegic CPs