Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developmental care practices for infants born preterm.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of hospital visitation and rates and durations of developmental care practices for infants born preterm. METHODS: We analyzed electronic medical record data from 129 infants born at less than 32 weeks gestational age (GA) cared for in the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a COVID-19-affected period (March 8, 2020 to Nov 30, 2020, n = 67) and the analogous period in 2019 (n = 62). Rates of family visitation and of family- and clinical staff-delivered developmental care were compared across cohorts, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Families of infants visited the hospital at nearly half of the rate during 2020 as during 2019 (p = 0.001). Infants experienced developmental care less frequently in 2020 vs. 2019 (3.0 vs. 4.3 activities per day; p = 0.001), resulting in fewer minutes per day (77.5 vs. 130.0; p = 0.001). In 2020, developmental care activities were 5 min shorter, on average, than in 2019, p = 0.001. Similar reductions occurred in both family- and staff-delivered developmental care. Follow-up analyses indicated that effects persisted and even worsened as the pandemic continued through fall 2020, despite relaxation of hospital visitation policies. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted family visitation and preterm infant developmental care practices in the NICU, both experiences associated with positive health benefits. Hospitals should create programs to improve family visitation and engagement, while also increasing staff-delivered developmental care. Careful attention should be paid to long-term follow up of preterm infants and families.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developmental care practices for infants born preterm.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of hospital visitation and rates and durations of developmental care practices for infants born preterm delivered by both families and clinical staff. METHODS: We analyzed electronic medical record data from infants born at less than 32 weeks gestational age (GA) cared for in the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a COVID-19-affected period (March 8, 2020 to May 31, 2020) and the analogous period in 2019. Our final sample consisted of 52 infants ( n =27, 2019 cohort; n =25, 2020 cohort). Rates of family visitation and of family- and clinical staff-delivered developmental care were compared across cohorts, adjusting for GA at start of study period. RESULTS: Results indicated that families of infants in the 2020 cohort visited less frequently (47% of available days) than those in the 2019 cohort (97%; p =0.001). Infants received developmental care activities less frequently in the 2020 cohort (3.51 vs. 4.72 activities per day; p =0.04), with a lower number of minutes per day (99.91 vs. 145.14; p =0.04) and a shorter duration per instance (23.41 vs. 29.65; p =0.03). Similar reductions occurred in both family- and staff-delivered developmental care activities. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted family visitation and preterm infant developmental care practices in the NICU, both experiences associated with positive health benefits. Hospitals should create programs to improve family visitation and engagement, while also increasing staff-delivered developmental care. Careful attention should be paid to long-term follow up of preterm infants and families.