Nurturing Beyond the Womb - Early Intervention Practices in Newborn Care Unit

The survival of small and sick babies has increased over the last two decades, though at the cost of increasing the burden of neuro-morbidities. Early intervention (EI) capitalises on the unique characteristic of neuroplasticity that ameliorates the effect of insult to the developing brain during fetal and early infancy period. EI provides positive sensorimotor experiences and promotes neuro-behavioural maturation which can greatly mitigate adverse outcomes for these at-risk babies. EI includes nurturing care delivered through the antenatal period continuing into a developmentally supportive environment and family centred care for the small and sick baby in the new-born care unit and continuing up to 3 years of life. Although the concept is now well understood, these practices still lack consistency and standardization across the units.