Developmental care for promoting development and preventing morbidity in preterm infants

Massage Accelerates Brain Development and the Maturation of Visual Function

“…In the NICU in Pisa, routine care includes a number of interventions designed to minimize the stress of the infant in the neonatal intensive care environment, by reducing noise and light, minimal handling, longer rest periods, and gentle individualized stimulations (Als et al, 1994;Symington and Pinelli, 2006). All infants in the NICU, including massaged and control infants included in this study, were exposed to classical music diffused in the environment during day time.…”

Massage therapy reduces hospital stay and occurrence of late-onset sepsis in very preterm neonates

“…3 Studies involving the hospital stay period of preterm infants showed that relatively simple measures improve their prognoses, such as skin-to-skin contact reduces the painful sensation of term neonates 4 and promotes the development and parental relation of preterm infants; 5 the creation of a sleep-provoking environment increases the growth rate of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants; 6 the application of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation contributes to both growth and development of preterm infants between 1000 and 2000 g, without adverse effects on physiological parameters; 7 instructions to first-child parents on how to bathe and massage favors parent-infant bonding; 8 and the participation of mothers through massage with moderate pressure improves growth and development rates of term infants. 9 Despite these evidences, in two systematic revisions, one regarding the tactile-kinesthetic stimulation in newborns with gestational age (GA) <37 weeks and birth weight <2500 g, 10 and one regarding the developmentoriented assistance method in preterm infants, 11 the authors considered the results as inconsistent and suggested that such interventions should be better investigated before being adopted without restrictions.…”

Measuring developmentally appropriate practice in neonatal intensive care units

“…1,2,[6][7][8] From the variety of developmental interventions, the following three components of DSC in the NICU may be discerned: (a) ongoing assessment of the neurodevelopmental condition of the premature infant, along with an individualized and dynamic care program; (b) controlling the environment, and reducing the environmental stressors so as to allow the premature infant rest and maintenance of a positive energetic balance; and (c) focusing on the family and encouraging parents to take an active part in caring for the baby. [8][9][10][11][12] The implementation of developmental interventions could be integrated into a systematic method, as in the case of the Neonatal Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). 6 Studies on the effects of the developmental approach as manifested in individualized developmental care have demonstrated a variety of positive outcomes, including decreasing respiratory support, [13][14][15][16] advancement of oral feeding, 13,14 shorter stay in hospital, 13,14 enhancement of neurodevelopmental outcomes 14,17 and empowerment of the parents, 17 as well as enhancement of brain function and structure in premature babies who had taken part in NIDCAP.…”

“…18 However, criticism has been leveled at methodological aspects, specifically, small sample size in many of the studies, and the need to continue research to verify a consistent effect. 9,19,20 The principles of DSC have guided neonatal care in recent years across the western world, 9 yet, there is a wide diversity in the application of its components in different NICUs. [21][22][23] Systematic comparative research of NICUs mostly focused on medical aspects of care in terms of care practices and developmental outcomes.…”