In this paper, we highlight the need for acknowledging the importance and impact of both physical and emotional closeness between the preterm infant and parent in the neonatal intensive care unit. Physical closeness refers to being spatially close and emotional closeness to parental feelings of being emotionally connected to the infant (experiencing feelings of love, warmth and affection). Through consideration of the literature in this area, we outline some of the reasons why physical closeness and emotional closeness are crucial to the physical, emotional and social well-being of both the infant and the parent. These include positive effects on infant brain development, parent psychological well-being and on the parent–infant relationship. The influence of the neonatal unit environment and culture on physical and emotional closeness is also discussed.ConclusionsCulturally sensitive care practices, procedures and the physical environment need to be considered to facilitate parent–infant closeness, such as through early and prolonged skin-to-skin contact, family-centred care, increased visiting hours, family rooms and optimization of the space on the units. Further research is required to explore factors that facilitate both physical and emotional closeness to ensure that parent–infant closeness is a priority within neonatal care.

This study suggests that maternal depression may be a risk factor in the development of the mother-infant relationship between preterm infants and their mothers. Therefore, it would be important to identify signs of depression in mothers of preterm infants to offer early support.

Frequent occurrence of IFALD among neonates on PN displays an association to duration of PN and markedly increased serum PS, especially stigmasterol, in comparison to healthy neonates and children on PN. Striking accumulation of parenteral PS may contribute to IFALD among neonates.

No abstract

No abstract

The results showed active visiting by the parents in the NICU. A lower gestational age was associated with lower visiting frequency for mothers. In contrast, more practical limitations such as geographical distance and other children to be taken care of had greater effect on the visiting frequency for fathers.

ABSTRACT. Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of infant massage compared with that of a crib vibrator in the treatment of infantile colic.Methods. Infants <7 weeks of age and perceived as colicky by their parents were randomly assigned to an infant massage group (n ‫؍‬ 28) or a crib vibrator group (n ‫؍‬ 30). Three daily intervention periods were recommended in both groups. Parents recorded infant crying and given interventions in a structured cry diary that was kept for 1 week before (baseline) and for 3 weeks during the intervention. Parents were interviewed after the first and third weeks of intervention to obtain their evaluation of the effectiveness of the given massage or crib vibration.Results. At baseline, the mean amount of total crying was 3.6 (standard deviation: 1.4) hours/day in the massage group infants and 4.2 (2.0) hours/day in the vibrator group infants. The mean amount of colicky crying was 2.1 (standard deviation: 1.1) hours/day and 2.9 (1.5) hours/ day, respectively. The mean number of daily intervention periods was 2.2 in both groups. Over the 4-week study, the amount of total and colicky crying decreased significantly in both intervention groups. The reduction in crying was similar in the study groups: total crying decreased by a mean 48% in the massage group and by 47% in the vibrator group, and colicky crying decreased by 64% and 52%, respectively. The amount of other crying (total crying minus colicky crying) remained stable in both groups over the intervention. Ninety-three percent of the parents in both groups reported that colic symptoms decreased over the 3-week intervention, and 61% of the parents in the massage group and 63% of the parents in the crib vibrator group perceived the 3-week intervention as colic reducing.Conclusions. Infant massage was comparable to the use of a crib vibrator in reducing crying in colicky infants. We suggest that the decrease of total and colicky crying in the present study reflects more the natural course of early infant crying and colic than a specific effect of the interventions. Pediatrics 2000;105(6). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/105/6/e84; infantile colic, massage, crib vibrator, treatment, sensory stimulation.ABBREVIATION. SD, standard deviation. E xcessive or qualitatively different, inconsolable crying is typical of infantile colic.1-4 The phenomenon is associated with considerable parental distress 5,6 and still lacks a safe and effective therapy. Dicyclomine was effective in the treatment of colicky infants 7,8 but is now contraindicated because of the possible life-threatening side effects. 9Herbal tea 10 and sucrose 11 may also be useful, but more evidence for their effectiveness is needed. The benefit of cow's milk elimination has been shown in several studies, 12,13 and a 1-week trial with a hypoallergenic formula has been suggested for colicky infants.14 However, no consensus about the role of cow's milk allergy or intolerance in colic has so far been reached. Parental counseling is beneficial 15,16 and is consid...

Aim  The aim of this study was to analyse the relation between ventricular dilatation at term and neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years corrected age in infants of very low birthweight (VLBW) or very low gestational age (VLGA). Method  A total of 225 VLBW or VLGA infants (121 males, 104 female; mean birthweight 1133g, SD 333g; mean gestational age 29wks, SD 2wks 5d) born in Turku University Hospital were included. Ventricular–brain ratio and the widths of each lateral ventricular horn were determined using ultrasonography, and the volume of the ventricles was measured by magnetic resonance imaging at term. The 2‐year outcome measures included scores for the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination, the presence of cerebral palsy (CP), the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd edition), and the presence of severe hearing or vision impairments or any neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI). Results  CP was diagnosed in 15 participants (6.7%) and severe hearing deficit in 12 participants (5.3%). No severe vision impairment was found. Mild and severe cognitive delay was found in 24 (10.7%) and 8 (3.6%) of the VLBW or VLGA infants respectively. Isolated ventricular dilatation did not increase the risk for developmental impairments. However, ventricular dilatation with additional brain pathology was significantly associated with CP, MDI score below 70, and NDI. A ventricular–brain ratio above 0.35 was a sensitive measure of developmental impairment. Interpretation  Ventricular dilatation at term increases the risk of poor developmental outcome only when associated with other brain pathology. The ventricular–brain ratio is a useful clinical tool for determining the prognosis in VLBW and VLGA infants.