Language and sound exposure across neonatal intensive care hospitalization and relationships with early outcome

Examine relationships between quantitative measures of language and sound exposure in the NICU and infant neurobehavior.

Sixty-four preterm infants (≤28 weeks of gestation) had language and sound exposure measured across four time points: within two weeks of birth and at 30, 34, and 35-41 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). Neurobehavior was assessed at 35-41 weeks PMA using the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scales.

Higher average decibel levels in the NICU environment were associated with lower infant orientation scores (p = 0.04, β = -0.33). Higher peak decibel levels were associated with greater hypertonia (p = 0.01, β = 0.37). More electronic sound exposure was associated with less infant hypotonia (p = 0.047; β = -0.003). Increased silence was associated with greater infant hypertonia (p = 0.01; β = 0.001). Higher adult word counts were related to lower infant stress (p = 0.045, β = -1.37).

NICU sound exposures were related to neonatal neurobehavior near term age, highlighting the neurological impact of the auditory environment on preterm infants.