General movement based therapy to support neurodevelopment of preterm infants: a randomized clinical trial
A General Movement (GM)-based early intervention starting at 34 weeks PMA, led by parents with telehealth support over 10 weeks from pediatric physiotherapists, was both feasible and well-received. Infant neurodevelopment until 2 years' corrected age and parental mental health were similar in both the intervention and control groups. The approach may be especially helpful for preterm infants who show early signs of neurodevelopmental challenges. As one of the first studies of its kind, this RCT adds valuable knowledge about GM-based therapy for very preterm infants. The results support the importance of personalized early interventions to meet the unique needs of each infant.
Authors
- Anna Badura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9080-5491)
- Verena Lehnerer
- E Griesmaier
- Maike Wellmann
- Maria Waltner-Romen
- A Dietz
- Florian Zeman
- Sarah Klarner
- Luisa Ammon
Institutions
- Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
- Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- University Hospital Regensburg (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Pediatric Research
- Published
- 2026-01-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-04734-2
- Primary Topic
- Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00