Neonatal Behavior Rating Scale (NBAS)

Neonatal Behavior Rating Scale (NBAS)

The first months of a child’s life are a period of intense development, the toddler goes through dynamic physical, emotional and social changes. Both the child and the family are in an extremely sensitive stage. To better understand the baby’s needs and support them appropriately, you can reach for a tool that allows you to precisely assess your child’s behavior. In this article, you will learn what this scale is and what are the benefits of using it.

What is the NBAS scale

The Neonatal Behavior Rating Scale (NBAS) is a tool created to observe and analyze the behavior of infants in the first two months of life. Thanks to this scale, we can create a newborn behavior profile that will help assess how the toddler reacts to various stimulations, how he copes with sleeping, crying or feeding. Importantly, NBAS is not a diagnostic tool, but rather serves as an aid in understanding the individual needs of the child and adapting the method of care to his or her temperament and reactions.

All of this is aimed at supporting the child’s emotional and social development early and targeted and enabling them to build a healthy attachment style.

What behaviors can we assess using the NBAS scale

The NBAS scale includes 28 items that allow you to assess your child’s behavior. These include:

• Reactions to stimulation – how the child reacts to visual, tactile or sound stimuli.
• Reflexes – assessment of newborn reflexes that are crucial for physical and neurological development.
• Social interaction – observing how the toddler reacts to the presence of the caregiver, whether he shows interest in his face, voice and touch.

In addition, the scale also includes 7 items that are used to assess infants from high-risk groups, e.g. children born prematurely, with low birth weight or with health problems.

The scale allows you to assess the child’s behavior in different states, which allows you to better understand how the newborn reacts in different situations:

1. Sleep state – NBAS allows you to assess how your toddler reacts to sleep disturbances, i.e. whether they can fall asleep again and how they cope with the transitions between deep and light sleep.
2. Wakefulness – from drowsiness to full activity, where the toddler shows interest in the environment, reacts to stimuli and is more active.
3. Crying – NBAS helps to assess how the baby reacts to intense crying and what strategies he uses to calm down.

What are the benefits of using NBAS?

NBAS allows parents to better understand how a child communicates their needs. This allows you to customize the way you interact, which supports the development of an emotional bond and the building of a secure attachment.

Understanding the individual needs of the child – Each child has their own unique needs and temperament. NBAS allows for detailed observation, thanks to which it is easier to adjust the rhythm of the child’s life, his environment and the style of care to his individual reactions.

Early detection of developmental problems – Although NBAS is not a diagnostic tool, it helps to notice possible difficulties in the child’s development, such as difficulties with self-soothing or problems with regulating sleep. Early noticing of such problems allows for faster action to support the child’s development.

Help in building trust in the caregiver – For parents and loved ones from the toddler’s environment, using the scale can be an opportunity to become more thoroughly involved in the child’s dynamic development. Observing the infant in different states and reactions gives a sense of greater confidence in care, and also strengthens the sense of security that the child feels in the relationship with the caregiver.

Currently, there are over 700 research projects around the world using the NBAS Scale. In the scientific world, the NBAS scale is seen as a collaboration between the professional and the parents and represents a joint observation of the child’s characteristics. The Newborn Behavior Assessment Scale is an extremely valuable tool that allows you to better understand the needs of an infant in its first weeks of life. With careful observation, it is possible to adapt the care method to the individual characteristics of the toddler, supporting their emotional and social development and building a secure attachment.