A gentle touch: can tailored care rewire the brains of tiny preterm babies?
NCT ID NCT00914108
First seen Aug 11, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a family-centered developmental care program, called NIDCAP, can improve brain and behavior outcomes in preterm infants born with severe intrauterine growth restriction. The intervention involves weekly observations of each infant's behavior, with personalized suggestions for parents and staff on how to support the baby's development. Researchers will assess the infants' neurobehavioral and brain activity (via EEG) to see if this individualized care makes a difference. The goal is to understand if focusing on the infant's cues can positively influence their long-term development.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Newborn Individualized Developmental Care (NIDCAP), a behavioral intervention involving weekly neurobehavioral observations and tailored guidance for parents and staff
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this approach could improve long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants born with severe growth restriction, offering a low-risk, non-drug way to support their development.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 30 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is behavioral and depends on consistent implementation, and benefits may be modest or hard to measure.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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Children's Hospital Boston
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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