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Sabour Eghbali Mostafa Khan H, Hosseini S A, akbarfahimi N, Soleimani F, ravarian A. Developmental Supportive Interventions for Preterm Infants After Discharge from the Neonatal Intensive Care Units: A Scoping Review. Arch Rehabil 2026; 27 (3) :446-471
URL: http://rehabilitationj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-3747-en.html

Objective After discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), preterm infants are at higher risk for motor, cognitive, and behavioral delays, as well as regulatory difficulties. Over the past two decades, numerous developmental support programs have been introduced to enhance long-term outcomes in these children. Accordingly, the study aimed to systematically review, characterize, and categorize developmental supportive interventions post-NICU discharge for preterm infants.
Materials & Methods This is a scoping review in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework and the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for studies published from 2000 to August 2024. Studies were eligible if they evaluated interventions targeting preterm infants and their caregivers that began after discharge from the NICU or began during hospitalization and continued into the post-discharge period. Information on key aspects of the interventions, including their content, theoretical foundations, implementation methods, and study outcomes were systematically analyzed.
Results Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The identified studies were classified into four major domains: motor interventions (n=6), sensory interventions (n=2), behavioral interventions (n=4), and family-centered (parental empowerment) programs (n=3). Motor interventions mainly addressed improvements in motor development and, in some cases, cognitive functioning. Sensory interventions were designed to support sensory processing and regulation while also promoting more effective parent-infant interactions. Behavioral interventions emphasized strengthening infants’ self-regulatory capacities and fostering co-regulation through responsive caregiving practices. Family-centered programs primarily aimed to alleviate parental stress and enhance caregivers’ confidence and competence in providing care. Although many studies reported favorable outcomes, considerable heterogeneity remained in theoretical foundations, intervention content, duration and intensity, parental involvement, and outcome measures.
Conclusion Discharge from the NICU should not be viewed as the endpoint of developmental support but rather as the start of a critical transition to home-based care. To maximize the effectiveness of post-discharge interventions, therapists should use combined strategies and empower parents by adopting a step-by-step protocol and assuming parents’ coaching role. In addition, it is essential to develop comprehensive, localized programs that integrate pre-discharge educational packages, tele-rehabilitation, and culturally adapted hybrid protocols to ensure the continuity of care at home.