Efficacy of the portage early intervention programme 'growing: birth to three' for children born prematurely

Findings are presented from a study examining the effects of the home-based intervention 'Growing: Birth to Three' (GBT) on children born prematurely at a regional hospital in Norway over a four-year period. Nineteen children received the intervention, while 17 children comprised the control group. Results indicate that GBT had a positive effect on development at 18 months, as measured by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development. However, by 36 months both the intervention and control groups were in the normal range on this measure. A post-test comparison of language performance at 36 months found significantly higher expressive language scores among children in the intervention group on the Reynell Developmental Language Scale. Parental anxiety at the end of the intervention was also measured. The benefits of implementing the GBT programme are discussed in relation to public health and the early childhood education and care systems in Norway.