Réseau de suivi des nouveau-nés à risque de développer un handicap. L'expérience du réseau de suivi régional ≪ grandir ensemble en Pays de la Loire ≫Follow-up network for newborns at risk for handicap in a French region

Background and objectives. — Follow-up networks for newborns with a handicap risk need to be put into place downstream of the perinatal health networks. Such a network was implemented in the Pays de la Loire region in 2003. Our objective is to evaluate the feasibility and the capacity to detect infants with an incapacitating condition at nine months corrected age and the patents'satisfaction with such a network. Material and methods. — A common tool based on the Amiel Tison assessment was set up. Infants included since 1st March 2003 and who were two years old corrected age on 1st September 2006 were taken into consideration. A satisfaction survey was conducted with the parents of infants showing normal development at two years old corrected age or with an abnormal neuromotor examination. Results. — Amongst the 1339 infants included, 1185 (88.4 %) were seen at the age of two years: 7.3 % showed pathological development, 4.5 % infants showed suspect neuromotor examination. Cares were proposed for 11% of the infants followed, permitting cares from nine months old for 65 % of the infants considered as having a pathological development at the age of two years. Discussion/conclusion. — This follow-up network has fulfilled its initial goal: 2.2 % of newborn babies in the region were included, a low rate of lost for follow-up was observed. Moreover, this network has a relative good capacity for detection and early initiation of care. The application of the parents is important and their level of satisfaction appeared to be high. This experiment shows that regional follow-up networks can become reality, but their efficiency still needs to be improved.