Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale
Encyclopedia
The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was developed in 1973 by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton
and his colleagues. It evaluates a wide range of 38 behaviors to build a behavioral profile of an infant
up to 2 months old. This approach was innovative for recognizing that a baby is a highly-developed organism
, even when just newly born. The profile describes the baby's strengths, adaptive response
s and possible vulnerabilities. This knowledge may help parent
s develop appropriate caregiving strategies to enhance their earliest relationship with the child.
Training is necessary for effective and reliable administration of the NBAS.
T. Berry Brazelton
Thomas Berry Brazelton is a noted pediatrician and author in the United States. Major hospitals throughout the world use the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale . Many parents know him as the host of a cable television program What Every Baby Knows, and as author of a syndicated...
and his colleagues. It evaluates a wide range of 38 behaviors to build a behavioral profile of an infant
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
up to 2 months old. This approach was innovative for recognizing that a baby is a highly-developed organism
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...
, even when just newly born. The profile describes the baby's strengths, adaptive response
Adaptive response
The adaptive response is a form of direct DNA repair in E. coli that is initiated against alkylation, particularly methylation, of guanine or thymine nucleotides or phosphate groups on the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA. Under sustained exposure to low-level treatment with alkylating mutagens, E...
s and possible vulnerabilities. This knowledge may help parent
Parent
A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
s develop appropriate caregiving strategies to enhance their earliest relationship with the child.
Training is necessary for effective and reliable administration of the NBAS.