Developmental Support Program Fosters Newborns' Growth

Even the smallest, most premature babies can "talk" to their caregivers through facial expression, movement and activity, providing both the medical team and parents with the best information on how to care for them.

In the newborn center at Texas Children's Hospital - where more than 2,500 newborns are treated every year - parents are encouraged to learn their infant's cues and to provide care for their baby during the hospital stay.

Through Texas Children's Developmental Support Program, physicians and nurses are trained to recognize babies' signs of stress, such as frowning or stiffly outstretched limbs and fingers. These might be cues that the baby needs a protected environment of dim lights and decreased noise.

Positioning is an important component in Texas Children's approach. In the neonatal intensive care unit, babies lie in their incubators while tucked in a "snuggly," a soft positioning device.

"It looks very much like a little nest that completely surrounds the baby with soft boundaries," says Carol Turnage-Carrier, a neonatal clinical nurse specialist at Texas Children's. "The positioning devices support the babies' normal movement while keeping them contained. Much like the womb, it serves as a comfortable, secure boundary."

Studies have shown that supportive care reduces babies' needs for sedation, ventilators and oxygen equipment. Babies also experience less sleep deprivation and fewer physiological complications - such as brain bleeds and collapsed lungs - significantly shortening their hospital stays. Many babies progress in their recovery and soon are ready for more stimulation and play.

The developmentally supportive care provided at Texas Children's Newborn Center allows each baby to be treated as an individual. Staff plan the care for every infant to help minimize the babies' stress, helping them cope better and grow faster. Parents and family members also are taught nurturing techniques - including gently cradling the baby while he or she is in the incubator - to create a greater bond between parents and their newborns. Involving and educating parents makes them feel less intimidated by the environment.

"When a baby is in the intensive care unit, there is potential for a lot of discomfort," Turnage-Carrier says. "We are trying to emphasize the nurturing part. We want to balance babies' discomfort with caring interaction to give them an optimal opportunity for development."

- ANGELA HUDSON

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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