Characteristics of preterm infants in pediatric rehabilitation at a referral hospital in Peru

Background: Prematurity is associated with a higher risk of disability. However, no studies on this population in rehabilitation settings in Peru have been found. This study aims to describe the characteristics of preterm infants at the Pediatric Rehabilitation Service of Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (SRP-HNERM). Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Medical records of preterm infants at SRP-HNERM from September 2023 to February 2024 were reviewed. The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), General Movements Assessment (GMA), and other outcome measures were used for evaluation. Results: A total of 158 preterm infants were evaluated. During hospitalization, 51.3% were evaluated by a physiatrist, 47.5% received physical therapy, and 51.3% had feeding and swallowing disorders (FSD). After discharge, all patients were evaluated by a physiatrist at SRP-HNERM. Among infants with ≥ 44 weeks of corrected gestational age (CGA), 48.1% showed some degree of developmental delay, with global delay present in 34%. Of those with ≥ 48 weeks of CGA, 54.9% had an optimal HINE score. Normal GMA was observed in 51.2% of infants with ≤ 5 months of CGA. A higher frequency of global developmental delay was found in infants who had FSD during hospitalization and a lower frequency in those who had neonatal jaundice. Conclusions: Slightly more than half of the preterm infants were evaluated by a physiatrist, had FSD during hospitalization, had an optimal HINE score at ≥ 48 weeks of CGA, and had a normal GMA at ≤ 5 months of CGA. The presence of FSD during hospitalization should alert clinicians to a higher risk of global developmental delay in this population.