Early Interventions Parents Of Preterm Infants - 1742 Words

Introduction A preterm infant can be defined as an infant who is born before 37 weeks gestation. Babies who are born premature have a high risk for many health and developmental problems as infants and, furthermore, as they develop into adults. These health and developmental problems can include brain defects, recurrent illnesses, short attention span, sensory impairments, poor motor coordination, delays in language, and emotional and behavior problems. Since preterm infants are fragile and minuscule, parents of preterm infants tend to be more distant when caring for their child. Preterm infants are less likely to be held close, touched, or talked to by their parents compared to full-term infants (Berk, 2013). This paper focuses on†¦show more content†¦Skin-to-Skin (Kangaroo) Care Through research, skin-to-skin (kangaroo) care has been shown to be one of the most affective early interventions used by parents. It has been stated that kangaroo care helps to regulate preterm in fants body temperatures, improve preterm infants breathing patterns and blood oxygen levels, and increase the rate at which preterm infants gain weight. Kangaroo care has been known to diminish apnea, slow heart rates, and hospital stays for preterm babies. Kangaroo care intervention includes rhythmic, sensory, and tactile elements. These elements help preterm infants attention span, development of both motor and mental skills, and cognitive development. When a mother participates in kangaroo care, the preterm infant is placed in between her breasts and when a father participates in this type of intervention, the preterm infant is placed next to his chest. Mothers who participate in kangaroo care state they have more positive emotions toward their baby and they have a better feel of their parenting role (Feldman, Eidelman, Sirota, Weller, 2002). According to Feldman et al. (2002), there are more positive interactions between mothers and preterm infants who participate in kangaro o care than there are between mothers and preterm infants who do not participate in the intervention. There are also more positive interactions between mothers and preterm infants who participate in