Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early intervention utilization and need for referral after NICU discharge in VLBW infants.

Objective: To examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on early intervention (EI) services in VLBW infants.

Study Design: 208 VLBW infants seen in NICU follow-up (FU) pre-COVID-19 were compared to 132 infants seen during COVID-19 at 4, 8 and 20 months corrected age (CA) in terms of enrollment in Child and Family Connections (CFC; intake agency for EI), EI therapies, need for CFC referral and Bayley scores.

Results: Infants seen during COVID-19 at 4, 8 and 20 months CA were 3.4 (OR, 95% CI 1.64, 6.98), 4.0 (1.77, 8.95) and 4.8 (2.10, 11.08) times more likely to need CFC referral at FU based on severity of developmental delay. Infants followed during COVID-19 had significantly lower mean Bayley cognitive and language scores at 20 months CA.

Conclusions: VLBW infants seen during COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of needing EI and significantly lower cognitive and language scores at 20 months CA.