Brain Uptrain to Improve Learning and Development

This study will test the hypothesis that in term or late preterm infants who are discharged home from the newborn nursery, a coach-led caregiver-implemented early literacy and developmental program in addition to shared reading, compared with shared reading alone, will increase the Ages and Stages Questionnaire® score at 24 months. This will be a double blind randomized controlled trial with 1:1 parallel allocation using stratified permuted block design. Randomization will be stratified by gestational age (≥ 35 to <38 weeks and ≥ 38 weeks). Randomization of twins and higher orders (when eligible) will be to the same group. Term and late preterm infants ≥ 35 weeks' gestation admitted to the newborn nursery are eligible for inclusion if they are being discharged home. We will exclude infants admitted to the NICU, infants with a known syndrome or major malformation, infants in DHR custody, infants enrolled in a competing study, and infants of families with a primary language other than English or Spanish. All study participants will receive shared reading information at scheduled well-child checks. Caregivers of infants in the intervention group will receive additional coach-led caregiver-implemented early literacy and developmental program. We will complete an ASQ-3 online or by telephone at 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months. We will also measure early literacy at 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years. The primary outcome will be the ASQ-3 scores at 24 months.

Inclusion criteria

inborn at UAB, delivered at more than 35 weeks' gestation, planned for discharge home after initial hospitalization.

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Exclusion criteria

a major malformation, a known syndrome, admitted to the NICU, in DHR custody, enrolled in a competing study, and family's primary language is other than English or Spanish.

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