Assessment of newborn neuropsychomotor development born with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in the perinatal period using the Bayley III scale at 6 months of age

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the Neuropsychomotor Development (NPMD) of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the perinatal period using the Bayley III scale at 6 months of age. Methods: Childcare appointments were scheduled for the included newborns in the study. During the 6-month consultation, the Screening Test for Bayley III Scale and, based on it, children were classified as “low risk”, “moderate risk” or “high risk” in the domains: of cognitive, receptive language, expressive language, fine motor, and gross motor. Those classified as “moderate risk”; or “high risk” received guidance about NPMD stimuli and were instructed to maintain follow-up. Results: Only 13 (37.1%) of the newborns were classified as low risk in receptive language and 18 (51.4%) in gross motor skills, with the domains most affected. Prematurity was a risk for cognitive incompetence (moderate risk/high-risk classification) (coefficient: 1.89, Odds Ratio = 6.7, 95% CI 1.3‒35, p = 0.02). Lower birth weight that 2.500g had a similar effect on cognitive incompetence (coefficient: 1.9, Odds Ratio = 6.2, 95% CI 1.2‒32.2, p = 0.02). Exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge (n = 8) was protective for incompetence (high risk/moderate risk) in the language domain (coefficient -2.14, OR = 0.12, 95% CI 0.02‒0.71, p = 0.02). Conclusions: The children included in the study must be monitored and their development monitored in order to clarify whether there is a relationship between the delay in NPMD and perinatal exposure to COVID-19, as delays were observed in these preliminary results.