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Published on: January 7, 2020
Do former preterm infants remember and respond to neonatal intensive care unit noise?
Edwin D Barreto1, Brenda H Morris, M Kathleen Philbin
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Perinatal-Neonatal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Insights
Former preterm infants show reduced auditory responsiveness compared to term infants. At 4-5 months corrected age, preterm infants did not exhibit typical heart rate changes to auditory stimuli, including NICU noises.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Development
- Auditory Processing
- Infant Physiology
Background:
- Infants exhibit heart rate changes (orienting reflex) to auditory stimuli.
- Decreased heart rate indicates interest, while increased heart rate suggests aversion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare heart rate responses of former preterm and term infants.
- To assess responses at 4-5 months corrected age to NICU noises.
Main Methods:
- 13 former preterm and 17 term infants participated.
- Infants were exposed to NICU noise and a control noise.
- Heart rate changes were analyzed using analysis of covariance.
Main Results:
- Both groups responded similarly to NICU and control noises.
- Preterm infants showed no significant heart rate alteration.
- Term infants displayed an orienting response to the second stimulus.
Conclusions:
- Former preterm infants have diminished auditory responsiveness at 4-5 months corrected age.
- Preterm infants did not perceive NICU noise as aversive.
Background:
Previous studies have shown that 4-month-old infants have a decrease in heart rate, a component of the orienting reflex, in response to interesting auditory stimuli and an increase in heart rate to aversive auditory stimuli.
Objective:
To compare the heart rate responses of former preterm and term infants at 4-5 months corrected age to a recording of NICU noises.
Methods:
13 former preterm infants and 17 full-term infants were presented NICU noise and another noise of similar level and frequency content in random order. Heart rate 10s prior to the stimulus and for 20s during the stimulus was analyzed. Group differences in second by second heart rate changes in response to the two noise stimuli were compared by analysis of covariance.
Results:
Both the preterm and term newborns responded similarly to the NICU noise and the control noise. The preterm infants did not alter their heart rate in response to either stimulus. In contrast, the term infants displayed an orienting response to the second stimulus presented regardless of whether it was the NICU or control noise.
Conclusions:
Former preterm infants at 4-5 months corrected age have reduced responsiveness to auditory stimulation in comparison to 4- to 5-month-old term infants. Furthermore, they did not respond to the NICU noise as an aversive stimulus.
