Abstract
The Brazelton Scale was administered to 204 high risk infants; 366 tests were given. 88% were <2500g and 90% were <36 weeks gestation. 42% had assisted ventilation, and 19% were small for gestational age. Gestational age at test time was 35-43 weeks in 92%. Deviant reflexes (scored as 0, 1 or 3 except for passive movements) were: crawling (20%), standing (39%), placing (23%) Moro (27%), walking (79%), and passive movements of arms (77%) & legs (82%). Mean scores on decrement and orientation items were
Significant correlations were: 1) Infants with ventilatory support were less able to self quiet or to be consoled; 2) The longer the ventilatory support the poorer the self quieting, consolability and response to animate stimuli, but the better the use of postural changes to self quiet; 3) Gestational age at birth and/or test time influenced dominant states, alertness, consolability, pull to sit, activity, and response to inanimate auditory stimulus.
Conclusion: gestational age and perinatal events influence high risk infant responses to the Brazelton test so that their behavior is not accurately described by term newborn standards.
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Sell, E., Poisson, S. & Morrow, G. 68 BRAZELTON BEHAVIOR TESTING IN THE HIGH RISK NEWBORN. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 375 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00073
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00073