Effect of early intervention in the developmental outcome of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy infants

Background: Neonatal brain injury due to intrapartum asphyxia is a significant cause of cerebralpalsy, mental retardation, and epilepsy. Despite advances in perinatal care over the pastthree decades, the incidence of cerebral palsy attributed to birth asphyxia has not changed. Indeveloping countries, the incidence of post asphyxiate neurological damage is particularly high. Objectives: To study the developmental outcomes of hypoxic ischemicencephalopathy infants by early physiotherapy intervention till one year Methodology: This study had conducted on 48 asphyxiated full term newborn infants who developed HypoxicIschemic Encephalopathy (HIE) admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Rajah Muthiah Medical College &hospital. The studied infants have classified on the basis of Sarnat and Sarnat staging of HIE into 3 stages, and they were given early intervention. Denver developmental screening test have administered to infants every four months till one year. The level of achievement of various developmental domains in among various stages of HIE early intervention infants were compared. Results: We found improvement in the level of achievement of developmental domains in various stages of birth asphyxia infants with a better outcome in stage I HIE infants. Conclusion: The early interventional program on HIE infants in the neurodevelopmentaloutcome after one year of age investigated in this study was efficacious in infants who participated in thestudy.