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What Assessments Are Commonly Used With Infants With NAS in the NICU Versus Outpatient Settings?

Tina Davis, OTR/L, BCP

September 1, 2023

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Question

What assessments are commonly used with infants with NAS in the NICU versus outpatient settings?

Answer

In the NICU or for newborns, commonly used assessments include the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS), Neonatal Eating Outcome (NEO), and Early Feeding Skills (EFS). For outpatient or early intervention settings, options include:

  • DAYC-2: For children birth to 5 years using natural environment materials. Assesses cognition, communication, social-emotional development, and adaptive behavior.
  • Hawaii Early Learning Profile: For ages birth to 3 years. Criterion-referenced assessment measuring performance on concepts through caregiver interviews and play interactions.
  • Infant Toddler Sensory Profile 2: Caregiver questionnaire evaluating sensory processing in infants and toddlers.
  • Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2: Assesses fine and gross motor skills using subtests like grasping, and visual-motor integration.
  • Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-4: Includes cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive scales.

Challenges exist in outpatient settings as assessments often require a calm alert state which can be difficult to achieve.

 

This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Developmental Care And Feeding Of Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, by Tina Davis.


tina davis

Tina Davis, OTR/L, BCP

Tina Davis is a board-certified pediatric occupational therapist with over 30 years of experience. She is committed to lifelong learning and passionate about the ultimate goal of OT - Achieving health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation. 


Related Courses

Developmental Care And Feeding Of Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Presented by Tina Davis, OTR/L, BCP
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  'Very informative'   Read Reviews
This course will describe the OT role in early assessment and treatment of the infant born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. We will discuss unique challenges of feeding, developmental, sensory and behavioral difficulties. Case studies will be used to review evidenced based and practical strategies that can be used to foster a strengths-based and family-centered approach to care.

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The OT role in post- NICU treatment, OT assessments, formulation of goals, and evidenced-based treatment techniques will be discussed in this course. Practical strategies that can be immediately implemented into practice and ideas for supporting the families of our smallest clients will be discussed. This is Day 2 of the Early Intervention Virtual Conference.

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