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The effects of a tactile stimulation/range‐finding programme on the development of very low birth weight infants during initial hospitalization
Author(s) -
HELDERS PAUL J.M.,
CATS BERNARD P.,
NET JANJAAP,
DEBAST SYLVIA B.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
child: care, health and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2214
pISSN - 0305-1862
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2214.1988.tb00586.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sensory stimulation therapy , stimulation , low birth weight , bradycardia , birth weight , gestation , tactile stimuli , pediatrics , sensory system , anesthesia , psychology , pregnancy , heart rate , biology , neuroscience , blood pressure , genetics
Summary During 1984 and 1985, after their referral to the intermediate care nursery, 51 healthy very low birth weight infants were subjected to a tactile stimulation programme imitating the spatial limitation which occurs towards the end of gestation. The sensory motor development of the study group was compared with the development of a control group during initial hospitalization. The study and control group differed significantly in the neonatal period after completion of the programme. The study group showed better auditive responses (P < 0.02), more variations in hand movements (P < 0.01), less hypotony (P < 0.02), more sucking (P < 0.02), and less bradycardia and apnoea (P < 0.01).