Telehealth-Based Neurodevelopmental Assessment in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth remains strongly associated with long-term neurodevelopmental impairments, including cognitive, language, and motor delays. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic disrupted routine in-person developmental follow-up for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, necessitating alternative assessment approaches. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of telephone-based neurodevelopmental assessments within an existing neonatal follow-up program and to assess neurodevelopmental outcomes in ELBW infants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in a middle-income country.

METHODS

This single-center, cross-sectional study included ELBW infants aged 24-42 months who underwent remote neurodevelopmental assessment using structured telephone interviews. Developmental outcomes were evaluated using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II (VABS-II) and the Guide for Monitoring Child Development. A total of 34 children were included.

RESULTS

Telehealth-based assessments were successfully completed in all participants, with no connectivity issues reported. Developmental delays were identified across multiple domains, including cognitive, language, and motor functioning. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II and Guide for Monitoring Child Development yielded comparable findings. Perinatal and neonatal factors, including brain injury, neonatal infections, and absence of antenatal steroid administration, were more frequently observed in children with developmental delay. All analyses should be interpreted as exploratory given the small sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth-based neurodevelopmental assessment is a feasible approach for evaluating ELBW infants, particularly when access to in-person follow-up is limited. Developmental delays remain common in this high-risk population. Telehealth may serve as a valuable complement to traditional follow-up strategies, supporting early identification of at-risk children.