189 HULTIVAI:IATi:: Ai:f.LYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF EARLY VS. LATE O:-:S£T OF I,AllILITATlm; H i ImAIH-Il:JUimD n;FAl;TS
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Post-hoc cultivari~le analysis of outcome of 1016 infants diagnosed as having neurulogical abnormalities as displayed in their e l cnen tar y uo t or pat terns indicated that habilitation (consistin~ of self-produced sensory-uotor behavior activated throu&h vestibular and proprioceptive stimulation) initiated prior to 7-S mon t h s of age resulted I n significantly f ev... er out coue problems. The population consisted of all infants referred in Budapest who were identified with sensoryrao t or abno rua l i t i.es at or shortly after birth (w i t hout; congen i.t a I uii.c r ocepha ly or spina b i f i.du) and •.rho survived at least two years. Three scales representing coinpo s i t e i.nf ormat ion were constructed f r om subsets of 102 yes-no iteus abstracted from the clinical record of each infant. These scales represented: (1) global outcome (after 13 or u.o r e mont hs }; (2) obstetric/prenatal co~plications; and (3) neonatal complications. Although outcoce problems increased wi.t h increasing obstetric and neonatal ccup l i c at ions , these effects were less significant aud independent of the effects on OutCONC of the abe at the time of onset of habilitation. A multivariate regression analysis of covariancc of the loi:, t r ans Eort.ied SCD 1(· sc ore s r e> vealeci D very robust linear effect where outcome probl e~s increased linearly as a function of age of onset of habilitation controlled for deBree of obstetric/neonatal compI icatious. Ullatever the mechanisms of these effects of enrly habilitation, and regardless of w)lether the particular specific diagnostic and habilitation procedures fo l l owed are more povcr fu l than other fo rms of ea r Iy d i.agno s i.s and 111t er veu t i.on , the data analyses and aampl e size involved suggested that at least this f orn of e-a r Ly d i ugno s i s and t r ca trnent rier i.t s further con s ic.e r at i on , A videocassette denonstration of the basic evaluation and habilitation procedures will be presented.