Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
11:50

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

28.0K

UNPACKING THE BURDEN OF CARE FOR INFANTS IN THE NICU

Amy L D'Agata1, Marilyn R Sanders2, Damion J Grasso3

  • 1University of Connecticut, Storrs, and University of South Florida.

Infant Mental Health Journal
|February 26, 2017
PubMed

Insights

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment can cause infant medical trauma (IMTN) due to extreme stressors like painful procedures and separation. This article introduces IMTN and suggests neuroprotective strategies to mitigate these adverse experiences.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Trauma

Background:

  • Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) expose infants to chronic, extreme stressors.
  • Parental separation and painful medical procedures are significant stressors for newborns.
  • The preverbal stage of development in infants complicates understanding and linking NICU experiences to long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose the terminology Infant Medical Trauma in the NICU (IMTN) to describe the infant experience.
  • To frame the NICU environment as a potential adverse childhood event.
  • To offer recommendations for neuroprotective strategies to support infants in the NICU.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual review of the NICU environment as an adverse childhood event.
  • Discussion of critical factors defining the newborn period.
  • Presentation of the IMTN conceptual model.

Main Results:

  • The NICU environment presents unique stressors impacting infant development.
  • The proposed IMTN model provides a framework for understanding infant experiences in the NICU.
  • Identification of key areas for intervention to support infant well-being.

Conclusions:

  • The term Infant Medical Trauma in the NICU (IMTN) offers a new perspective on infant experiences.
  • Addressing NICU-related trauma is crucial for infant development.
  • Neuroprotective strategies can help moderate the intensity of adverse experiences for infants in the NICU.

Keywords:
BetreuungslastGesundheitsergebnisseUnité Néonatale de Soins Intensifsburden of carecuidado intensivo neonatalearly life traumafardeau des soinsfrühe Lebenstraumatahealth outcomesneonatal intensive careneonatale Intensivpflegeresponsabilidad del cuidadoresultados de saludrésultats en matière de santétrauma de la vie précocetrauma en la primera etapa de la vidaケアの重荷健康予後健康結果新生児集中治療新生兒重症監護早期の人生のトラウマ早期創傷護理負擔

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

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

Published on: August 25, 2014

88.2K
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates10:02

State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates

Published on: February 2, 2015

26.3K

Related Concept Videos

Parental Care00:55

Parental Care

Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
12.9K
Nursing Implementation01:15

Nursing Implementation

Implementation is the execution of the nursing care plan developed during the planning phase.
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.
6.4K
Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions01:29

Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions

Creating and executing a nursing diagnosis helps nurses plan care and guide patient, family, and community interventions. They are developed based on a patient's physical evaluation and support measuring the outcomes. It is not recommended to select random interventions throughout the planning process. Instead, consider the following six essential factors when choosing interventions:
3.6K
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
615
Standards of Care II01:19

Standards of Care II

Nurses bear specific legal responsibilities under several federal statutes, including:
1.2K
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
4.5K