Surviving and Thriving: Early Intervention for Neonatal Survivors With Developmental Disability in Uganda.
Cally J Tann, Maya Kohli-Lynch, Ruth Nalugya and 9 others
PMID 33790497WHAT IT FOUND
A peer-led early intervention for infants with disability in Uganda improved family quality of life and caregiver confidence.
Neurological scores rose slightly, but developmental quotients did not change. Nutritional status worsened, with more children underweight and stunted after the program.
Key findings
01Family quality of life scores increased significantly after the intervention, particularly in emotional functioning and worry.
02There was no significant change in the developmental quotient, though neurological examination scores improved slightly.
03The proportion of children who were underweight and stunted increased significantly after the intervention.
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
The study was a small pilot with only 28 participants completing the evaluation, limiting the generalizability of the results. There was no control group, so it is impossible to determine if the improvements were due to the intervention or natural history/regression to the mean. The worsening nutritional status (increased stunting and underweight) despite the intervention suggests the program did not address all health needs or that growth faltering is a common trajectory for these children regardless of intervention. The primary outcome was not clearly defined in the text provided, though feasibility and acceptability were key aims.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the stable developmental quotient and worsening nutritional status as evidence the program is ineffective. The primary gains were in family quality of life and caregiver confidence, which are significant outcomes in themselves, but the lack of a control group means causality cannot be established.