SENSORY PROCESSING DURING CHILDHOOD IN PRETERM INFANTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: To conduct a systematic search for grounded and quality evidence of sensory processing in preterm infants during childhood. Data source: The search of the available literature on the theme was held in the following electronic databases: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline)/PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs)/Virtual Library in Health (BVS), Índice Bibliográfico Español de Ciencias de la Salud (IBECS)/BVS, Scopus, and Web of Science. We included only original indexed studies with a quantitative approach, which were available in full text on digital media, published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish between 2005 and 2015, involving children aged 0-9years. Data synthesis: 581 articles were identified and eight were included. Six studies (75%) found high frequency of dysfunction in sensory processing in preterm infants. The association of sensory processing with developmental outcomes was observed in three studies (37.5%). The association of sensory processing with neonatal characteristics was observed in five studies (62.5%), and the sensory processing results are often associated with gestational age, male gender, and white matter lesions. Conclusions: The current literature suggests that preterm birth affects the sensory processing, negatively. Gestational age, male gender, and white matter lesions appear as risk factors for sensoryprocessing disorders in preterm infants. The impairment in the ability to receivesensory inputs, to integrateand to adapt to them seems to have a negative effect on motor, cognitive, and language development of these children. We highlight the feasibility of identifying sensory processing disorders early in life, favoring early clinical interventions.摘要 研究目的：系统检索儿童时期早产婴儿感觉处理（sensory processing）领域可靠且高质量的实证证据。 数据来源：本研究针对该主题的现有文献，在以下电子数据库中开展检索：医学文献分析与检索系统在线版（Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Medline）/PubMed、拉丁美洲与加勒比健康科学文献数据库（Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, Lilacs）/健康虚拟图书馆（Virtual Library in Health, BVS）、西班牙健康科学文献索引（Índice Bibliográfico Español de Ciencias de la Salud, IBECS）/BVS、Scopus以及Web of Science。本研究仅纳入2005年至2015年间发表、以葡萄牙语、英语或西班牙语撰写、可通过数字媒体获取全文的定量研究类原创索引文献，研究对象为0~9岁儿童。 资料综合：本次检索共识别出581篇文献，最终纳入8项研究。其中6项研究（占比75%）发现早产婴儿的感觉处理功能障碍发生率较高；3项研究（占比37.5%）观察到感觉处理与发育结局存在关联；5项研究（占比62.5%）发现感觉处理与新生儿特征存在关联，且感觉处理结果常与胎龄、男性性别及白质病变（white matter lesions）相关。 研究结论：现有文献表明，早产会对感觉处理产生负面影响。胎龄、男性性别及白质病变似乎是早产婴儿发生感觉处理障碍的危险因素。儿童接收感觉输入、整合并适应此类输入的能力受损，似乎会对其运动、认知及语言发育产生负面影响。本研究强调，在生命早期识别感觉处理障碍具备可行性，可助力开展早期临床干预。