Parent-led music therapy in preemies has null effect on neurodevelopment

Parent-led, infant-directed singing does not lead to greater language development at 24 months when compared with standard care in preterm infants, according to the secondary analysis of LongSTEP*.

The analysis included 206 infants who were born preterm (mean gestational age 30.5 weeks, 50 percent female) and their parents. The infants were randomly assigned to receive music therapy (MT) plus standard care (SC) or SC alone. MT was a parent-led singing intervention tailored to infant responses and supported by a music therapist, whereas SC consisted of early intervention methods of medical, nursing, and social services. The intervention was conducted 3 times weekly in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and/or in 7 sessions across 6 months after discharge.

The primary outcome was language development, measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) language composite score. The remaining BSID-III composite and subscale scores  were also evaluated as secondary outcomes. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess group differences in treatment effects.

A total of 112 children (54 percent) were retained at the 24 months’ corrected age follow-up. BSID-III scores were in the normal range (≥85) for most children (70–83 percent).

Mean differences for the language composite score were −2.36 (95 percent confidence interval [CI, −12.60 to 7.88; p=0.65) for those on MT at NICU then on SC postdischarge, 2.65 (95 percent CI, −7.94 to 13.23; p=0.62) for those on SC at NICU and MT postdischarge, and −3.77 (95 percent CI, −13.97 to 6.43; p=0.47) for those on MT both at NICU and postdischarge relative to children on SC both at NICU and postdischarge.

No significant effects were seen for cognitive or motor development.

*Longitudinal Study of Music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature Infants and Their Caregivers