Conclusion Current evidence suggests that developmental care in only NICU setting could have significant effect on mental and motor development of preterm infants , especially at 12 months of age .
Background The aim of this study was to review the effects of developmental care in neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) setting on mental and motor development of preterm infants .
A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating Silicone Earplugs for Very Low Birth Weight Newborns in Intensive Care
Objective : To determine whether very low birth weight ( VLBW ) newborns ( < 1500 g ) wearing silicone earplugs grow larger and perform better on developmental exams than controls . Study Design : VLBW newborns ( n=34 ) were r and omized to wearing earplugs or not . Hospital outcomes were abstract ed from medical charts by research staff masked to intervention status . Fourteen extremely low birth weight ( ELBW ) newborns ( < 1000 g ) were also evaluated at 18 to 22 months . Result : After adjusting for birth weight , 11 surviving newborns in the earplug group were 225 g ( 95 % CI : 45 , 405 ) heavier at 34 weeks post menstrual age than the 13 controls . Six ELBW earplug infants scored 15.53 points ( 95 % CI : 3.03 , 28.02 ) higher than six controls on the Bayley Mental Development Index . Their head circumferences were 2.59 cm ( 95 % CI : 0.97 , 4.21 ) larger . Conclusion : Earplugs may facilitate weight gain in VLBW newborns . Better outcomes may persist at 18 to 22 months at least in ELBW infants
Conclusion Current evidence suggests that developmental care in only NICU setting could have significant effect on mental and motor development of preterm infants , especially at 12 months of age .
Background The aim of this study was to review the effects of developmental care in neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) setting on mental and motor development of preterm infants .