Purposeful Language Exposure by Neonatal Nurses and Caregivers in the NICU

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Developmental pediatrics
• Speech-language pathology

Background:

• Preterm infants face high risks of neurocognitive deficits, including language delay.
• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays limit language exposure during critical neural development periods.
• Healthcare providers (HCPs), especially nurses, can positively impact neurodevelopment through infant-directed speech.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing evidence on the characteristics of HCP communication with infants in the NICU.
• To understand current practices of HCPs interacting verbally with neonates.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of four databases and forward citation searching.
• Inclusion of empirical, primary research studies published in English.
• No date restrictions were applied to the search.

Main Results:

• Eight descriptive studies were reviewed.
• Infant-directed speech by HCPs was infrequent.
• Speech was more common with sicker infants, during painful procedures, and sometimes paired with touch.

Conclusions:

• Nurses can model infant-directed speech for parents, enhancing their comfort and understanding.
• Nurses can provide essential language stimulation when parents are absent.
• Further research is needed to test methods for supporting infant-directed speech and its impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.