Neonatal therapy principles during transition from neonatal intensive care unit to home: A modified Delphi study.
Kerry Miller, Sandra Willett, Dana Mccarty and 1 others
PMID 39187953WHAT IT FOUND
Experts agreed that four intervention principles are essential for NICU-to-home transitions: building caregiver-child relationships, optimizing development, sharing education, and enriching environments.
They stated these must be delivered together, not in isolation. This reflects expert opinion, not tested efficacy.
Key findings
01Panelists reached strong consensus that four intervention constructs are essential for supporting families and infants transitioning from the NICU to home.
02Experts disagreed that any single construct could be delivered in isolation to adequately support the transition, indicating a need for integrated intervention.
03Caregiver-child focused intervention was ranked as the most essential construct by nearly half of the panelists.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a consensus of expert opinion, not a test of whether these interventions work. It does not provide evidence of efficacy. The panel was predominantly female (96%), White (92%), and US-based, limiting generalizability to other populations or healthcare systems. Parents were not part of the Delphi panel itself, though they reviewed the initial definitions. The study does not capture parent perspectives on implementation. The study does not specify the dosage, timing, or specific methods for delivering these interventions, leaving clinicians to determine how to apply the principles.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. No other conflicts of interest are reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that these interventions improve patient outcomes. The study reports expert agreement on what should be done, not data on what works. Additionally, experts explicitly stated these principles cannot be delivered in isolation, so applying only one component (e.g., just movement opportunities) contradicts the consensus.