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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Perinatal assessment of infant, parents, and parent-infant relationship: prematurity as an example

Carole Muller-Nix1, Margarita Forcada-Guex

  • 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Lausanne, Hôpital Neslté, av. P. Decker 5, Lausanne 1011, Switzerland. carole.muller-nix@chuv.ch

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America
|June 3, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Caring for premature infants presents unique stresses for parents and caregivers. Early assessment of infant discomfort and parental stress is crucial for intervention and improving the parent-infant relationship.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Developmental psychology
  • Family medicine

Background:

  • The birth of a premature infant introduces significant stress for parents and caregivers.
  • Understanding and managing this stress is vital for infant well-being and family adjustment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the stresses experienced by parents and caregivers of premature infants.
  • To discuss principles and tools for assessing infant discomfort, parental stress, and the parent-infant relationship.
  • To explore the role of early assessment and intervention in complicated cases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of stress factors in premature infant care.
  • Discussion of assessment principles for infant and parental well-being.
  • Examination of tools for evaluating the caregiving environment and parent-infant dynamics.

Main Results:

  • Identification of key stressors for parents and caregivers during the neonatal period.
  • Principles for assessing infant discomfort, parental stress, and the parent-infant bond are outlined.
  • Review of assessment tools to evaluate the caregiving environment's suitability for premature infants.

Conclusions:

  • Early and comprehensive assessment is essential for preventive intervention in families with premature infants.
  • Subsequent interventions are indicated for complicated cases involving premature infants and their parents.
  • Clinical examples illustrate the application of assessment principles and interventions.

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