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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Study protocol: an early intervention program to improve motor outcome in preterm infants: a randomized controlled
Gunn Kristin Oberg1, Suzann K Campbell, Gay L Girolami
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Care Sciences, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway. Gunn.Kristin.Oeberg@uit.no
Insights
This study investigates early physiotherapy for preterm infants to improve motor development and prevent delays. The research protocol outlines a randomized trial assessing physiotherapy
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric physiotherapy
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants face risks of delayed motor development and cerebral palsy.
- Early intervention knowledge for preterm infants is limited.
- This study addresses the need for effective physiotherapy in neonatal intensive care units.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effect of a preventative physiotherapy program on motor development in preterm infants.
- To evaluate physiotherapy performance and parental experiences with the intervention.
- To improve postural control and selective movements in high-risk infants.
Main Methods:
- A pragmatic randomized controlled trial involving 150 preterm infants.
- Intervention group receives daily physiotherapy stimulation and parent training.
- Standardized motor assessments at multiple corrected ages; qualitative interviews with parents and physiotherapists.
Main Results:
- The study protocol is detailed, outlining the methodology for assessing physiotherapy's impact.
- Data collection includes motor function tests and qualitative insights into intervention experiences.
- Primary outcome measured at two years corrected age.
Conclusions:
- This paper presents the protocol for a randomized controlled trial on physiotherapy for preterm infants.
- The study will provide insights into physiotherapy effectiveness and parent-child interactions.
- Findings aim to inform early intervention strategies for high-risk infants.
Background:
Knowledge about early physiotherapy to preterm infants is sparse, given the risk of delayed motor development and cerebral palsy.
Methods/Design:
A pragmatic randomized controlled study has been designed to assess the effect of a preventative physiotherapy program carried out in the neonatal intensive care unit. Moreover, a qualitative study is carried out to assess the physiotherapy performance and parents' experiences with the intervention. The aim of the physiotherapy program is to improve motor development i.e. postural control and selective movements in these infants. 150 infants will be included and randomized to either intervention or standard follow-up. The infants in the intervention group will be given specific stimulation to facilitate movements based on the individual infant's development, behavior and needs. The physiotherapist teaches the parents how to do the intervention and the parents receive a booklet with photos and descriptions of the intervention. Intervention is carried out twice a day for three weeks (week 34, 35, 36 postmenstrual age). Standardized tests are carried out at baseline, term age and at three, six, 12 and 24 months corrected age. In addition eight triads (infant, parent and physiotherapist) are observed and videotaped in four clinical encounters each to assess the process of physiotherapy performance. The parents are also interviewed on their experiences with the intervention and how it influences on the parent-child relationship. Eight parents from the follow up group are interviewed about their experience. The interviews are performed according to the same schedule as the standardized measurements. Primary outcome is at two years corrected age.
Discussion:
The paper presents the protocol for a randomized controlled trial designed to study the effect of physiotherapy to preterm infants at neonatal intensive care units. It also studies physiotherapy performance and the parent's experiences with the intervention.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01089296.
