To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Preterm infant.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Preterm infant'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Preterm infant.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Cairns, Pamela Anne. "Nutritional studies in the preterm infant." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324823.
Full text
2
Yizhou, MO, and Hu Hengxing. "Parents’ experiences of having a preterm infant : infant - A descriptive literature review." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för vårdvetenskap, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-30250.
Full text
3
Reyna, Barbara. "Mother-Infant Synchrony during Infant Feeding." VCU Scholars Compass, 2010. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/157.
Full textAbstract:
MOTHER-INFANT SYNCHRONY DURING INFANT FEEDING By Barbara A. Reyna, PhD A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. Major Director: Rita H. Pickler, PhD Endowed Nursing Alumni Professor Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing Synchrony between a mother and her infant is fundamental to their developing relationship. Feeding is an essential activity that provides an opportunity for interaction between a mother and her infant and may lead to synchronous interaction. The purpose this study was to develop and test a coding system, the Maternal-Infant Synchrony Scale (MISS), for assessing synchrony of feeding interaction between a mother and her preterm infant. The secondary aims were to: (1) describe mother and preterm infant synchrony during feeding; (2) examine mother-infant synchrony during feeding over time; (3) examine the mediating effects of infant severity of illness, behavior state, birth gestation, and birth weight, and maternal depression, and maternal responsiveness and sensitivity on mother-infant synchrony; and (4) test the criterion-related validity of the synchrony scale. A descriptive, longitudinal design using data collected during an earlier study was employed; a sample dataset from 10 mother-infant dyads that completed three data collection points (30 observations total) was used. Data were also collected on maternal depression and responsiveness and sensitivity and dyadic tension and reciprocity. For this analysis, scores for infant severity illness and behavior state were computed. The Noldus Observer XT 8.0 (Noldus Information Technology b.v., 2006) was used for data review and coding. The MISS was created by determining the frequency of select behaviors and the percentage of time behaviors occurred during the feeding; changes in behaviors over the three observations periods were calculated. Mothers were attentive and focused during feedings. The influence of infant maturation on feeding behaviors was evident across observations; infant attempts at interaction (gazing at mother) were greater than the mother attempts to engage her infant. MISS scores were not significantly different over the observations, the selected mediators had no significant effect on synchrony, and the criterion validity for the MISS was not established. This study revealed behaviors that are descriptive of the interaction and can be used to develop interventions that would support the developing relationship. Use of the MISS with a larger sample size and a cohort of healthy, term newborns is needed to establish the MISS as a valid and reliable measure of synchrony.
4
Butt, Michelle Lynn. "The effect of music on preterm infant behaviour." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape17/PQDD_0013/MQ36009.pdf.
Full text
5
To, Wan-sze Ivy, and 杜允思. "Benefit of massage on preterm infant weight gain." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B46583002.
Full text
6
Jordan, Nicole. "The Effects of Touch on the Preterm Infant." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2007. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/1175.
Full textAbstract:
This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your Honors Thesis, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by following the instructions on the distribution consent form at http://library.ucf.edu/Systems/DigitalInitiatives/DigitalCollections/InternetDistributionConsentAgreementForm.pdf You may also contact the project coordinator, Kerri Bottorff, at kerri.bottorff@ucf.edu for more information.Bachelors
Nursing
Nursing
7
Paech, Christian, Roman Gebauer, and Matthias Knüpfer. "Life-threatening QT prolongation in a preterm infant." Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig, 2014. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:15-qucosa-155989.
Full textAbstract:
Introduction: Temporary QT-interval prolongation following intracranial hemorrhage and hydrocephalus has been repeatedly reported in adults. Case: We report a case of excessive QT prolongation with sudden bradycardia resulting in 2:1 atrioventricular conduction in a preterm infant most likely associated with a congenital hydrocephalus. Pathomechanisms are discussed. Conclusion: Congenital hydrocephalus predisposes to excessive QT prolongation in preterm infants.
8
Anibal, Brittany, and Demetrio M. D. Macariola. "Streptococcus Pneumoniae Bacteremia in a Late Preterm Infant." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/asrf/2018/schedule/84.
Full textAbstract:
Neonatal sepsis is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. There are two distinct types of sepsis- early and late onset. Group B streptococcus and Listeria are the most common causes of early onset neonatal sepsis historically. Physicians select antibiotics for neonates with fever based on historically common bacterial pathogens such as GBS, Ecoli, Listeria, and Staphylococcal aureus. However, the landscape of bacterial pathogens causing sepsis and fever in neonates seems to be changing. This could potentially change the first choice of antibiotics for this susceptible population.
In this case study, we will present early-onset sepsis in a late preterm infant due to Streptococcus pneumoniae as confirmed by blood culture. The only maternal risk factors present in this case for septicemia were delivery less than 37 weeks. Patient initially had respiratory distress at delivery and required CPAP for 3 days. On day 2 of life, cultures were taken due to acute deterioration. Ampicillin and Gentamycin were given to the patient for empiric coverage initially. On day 2 of antibiotics, cultures were reported positive. Patient’s antibiotics had to be altered at that time to cover the isolated organism. The patient was inadequately treated up until cultures were positive. This case raises the question if Ampicillin and Gentamycin remain the best choice for broad antibiotic coverage in neonates with possible sepsis.
9
Glass, Laurie. "Preterm Infant Incubator Humidity Levels: A Systematic Review." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7650.
Full textAbstract:
Numerous scholars have reported that inconsistent incubator humidity in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) requires attention. Evidence synthesis was needed to assist the identification of optimal incubator humidity levels and duration to decrease transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and the potential for infection. The purpose of this doctoral project was to appraise and synthesize the evidence of preterm outcomes related to incubator humidity. The practice-focused question addressed what patient outcomes were impacted by incubator humidity level and duration in premature infants < 32 0/7 weeks cared for in the NICU. The foundation of this project was the Joanna Briggs Institute method for systematic reviews. Mefford’s theory of health promotion for the preterm infant was used to address the wholeness of the preterm infant’s body system. Evidence was classified using the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice levels and quality of evidence. The search was conducted in 8 databases, and citation searching was used to identify 340 articles, 12 of which met the inclusion criteria. The evidence demonstrates that the practice of incubator humidity is warranted; however, it does not come without risks. Microbial growth was increased in high levels of incubator humidity. Unnecessary TEWL was prevented by lowering high levels of incubator humidity after the 1st week, improving skin barrier formation. Incubator humidity of 60%–70% in the 1st week was effective in preventing TEWL in infants born ≥ 26 weeks; however, future research is needed for infants < 26 weeks. When optimal levels and duration of incubator humidity are achieved, positive social change will occur from the improved outcomes of the smallest neonatal patients.
10
Gutbrod, Tina. "Emotion regulation in very preterm infants : the influence of infant, maternal and medical factors." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.247327.
Full text
11
Weber, Ashley Marie. "The effect of parent-infant interaction on physiological outcomes during feeding in preterm infants." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1330366904.
Full text
12
Liaw, Jen-Jiuan. "Facilitating NICU caregiving in Taiwan through understanding preterm infant behaviors /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7362.
Full text
13
Ramnarain, Pallavi. "QUANTIFICATION OF PRETERM INFANT FEEDING COORDINATION: AN ALGORITHMIC APPROACH." VCU Scholars Compass, 2012. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/351.
Full textAbstract:
Oral feeding competency is a primary requirement for preterm infant hospital release. Currently there is no widely accepted method to objectively measure oral feeding. Feeding consists primarily of the integration of three individual feeding events: sucking, breathing, and swallowing, and the objective of feeding coordination is to minimize aspiration. The purpose of this work was to quantify the infant feeding process from signals obtained during bottle feeding and ultimately develop a measure of feeding coordination. Sucking was measured using a pressure transducer embedded within a modified silicone bottle block. Breathing was measured using a thermistor embedded within nasal cannula, and swallowing was measured through the use of several different piezoelectric sensors. In addition to feeding signals, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were obtained as an indicator of overall infant behavioral state during feeding. Event detection algorithms for the individual feeding signals were developed and validated, then used for the development of a measurement of feeding coordination. The final suck event detection algorithm was the result of an iterative process that depended on the validity of the signal model. As the model adapted to better represent the data, the accuracy and specificity of the algorithm improved. For the breath signal, however, the primary barrier to effective event detection was significant baseline drift. The frequency components of the baseline drift overlapped significantly with the breath event frequency components, so a time domain solution was developed. Several methods were tested, and it was found that the acceleration vector of the signal provided the most robust representation of the underlying breath signal while minimizing baseline drift. Swallow signal event detection was not possible due to a lack of available data resulting from problems with the consistency of the obtained signal. A robust method was developed for the batch processing of heart rate variability analysis. Finally a method of coordination analysis was developed based on the event detection algorithm outputs. Coordination was measured by determining the percentage of feeding time that consisted of overlapping suck and breath activity.
14
Ng, Sherrianne Qin Yin. "Preterm infant IFN-Beta responses to Group B streptococcus." Thesis, Ng, Sherrianne Qin Yin (2013) Preterm infant IFN-Beta responses to Group B streptococcus. Honours thesis, Murdoch University, 2013. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/17002/.
Full textAbstract:
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of early onset sepsis in preterm infants. The production of IFN-Beta shown to be critical for host defense against GBS in murine studies. The release of GBS-DNA into the cytosol of mouse macrophages was found to induce IFN-Beta monocytes and macrophages produce IFN-Beta GBS-DNA plays in this process. This study optimised a whole blood assay to determine if human monocyte subsets are capable of inducing IFN-Beta as cytosolic GBS-DNA. The main findings were that (A) all adult blood monocyte subsets were capable of producing IFN-Beta cytosolic GBS-DNA, as determined by IP-10 expression, (B) the intermediate monocyte subset produced the highest amount of IP-10 to both live GBS and cytosolic GBS-DNA, and (C) the monocytes of a preterm infant had similar IP- 10 responses to cytosolic GBS-DNA but much lower IP-10 responses to live GBS compared to adults. These findings indicate that human blood monocytes are capable of producing IFN-
15
Grönqvist, Helena. "Visual motor development in full term and preterm infants." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för psykologi, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-130858.
Full textAbstract:
Smooth tracking and efficient reaching for moving objects require the ability to predict the velocity and trajectory of the object. This skill is important to be able to perceive human action and object motion in the world. This thesis explores early visual motor development in full term and preterm infants. Study I showed that horizontal eye tracking develops ahead of vertical (full term infants at 5, 7 and 9 months of age). The vertical component is also more affected when a second dimension is added during circular pursuit. It is concluded that different mechanisms appear to underlie vertical and horizontal eye movements Study II-IV compared the development of the ability to visually track and reach for moving objects in very preterm infants born <32 gestational weeks to healthy infants born at term. The development of horizontal smooth pursuit at 2 and 4 months of corrected age was delayed for the preterm group (Study II). Some infants were catching up whereas others were not improving at all. A question raised by the results was whether the delay was caused by specific injuries as a result of the prematurity. However, the delays persisted when all infants with known neonatal complications and infants born small for gestational age were excluded (Study III), indicating that they were caused by prematurity per se. At 8 months corrected age preterm and full term infants were equally good at aiming reaches and successfully catching a moving object. Nevertheless, the preterm group used a bimanual strategy more often and had a more jerky and circuitous path than the full term group (Study IV). In summary, preterm infants showed a delayed visual motor development compared to infants born at term. The results of these studies suggest that there is additional diffuse damage to the visual motor system that is not related to neonatal complications as diagnosed today. Measuring smooth pursuit could potentially be a new method for early non-invasive diagnosis of impaired visual function.
16
Rust, Libi. "Growth and development in very preterm infants : the influence of infant, maternal and medical factors." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/14177.
Full textAbstract:
It is generally acknowledged that infants born very preterm are at a high risk of developmental delay. It has been suggested that the first few months of life ex-utero might constitute a "sensitive period" during which growth rate could influence later outcome measures including cognitive development. This study investigated the early growth of a sample of 90 infants born very preterm and the developmental status (at 18 months of age) of 81 of those infants (mean gestational age 29.4 weeks; mean birth weight 1283g). Two main issues were addressed. One concerned the relative contribution of various early infant, maternal and medical factors to rate of growth up to 3-months corrected age. The other issue was the extent to which these early factors, as well as early growth rate, were predictive of developmental status at 18 months of age (again corrected for gestation), using the Mental Development Index of the Bayley Scales. Analyses revealed that there were few significant predictors of early growth among the variables that were examined. Infants who had required more intensive medical care during the neonatal period showed a slower growth rate than the more robust infants. Breast-fed infants grew slower from birth to term, but thereafter grew significantly better, resulting in no discernable difference over the whole 5-7 month period. None of the infant behavioural, maternal or social variables examined appeared to be related to early growth. Infants who were born lighter-for-gestation grew faster than the infants who were heavier for gestational age. At the 18-month follow-up assessment this very preterm sample performed poorly overall in comparison to published norms for full term infants. When regression analyses were performed, weight at 3-months of age was found to be predictive of developmental status at 18-months (even when concurrent weight was taken into account), whereas actually being born growth retarded was not found to be a risk factor for poorer developmental outcome. This supports the concept of a "sensitive period" during the first few months of life, when growth rate may influence developmental outcome. Other significant predictors of developmental outcome were gender, early brain scan and mean parental height.
17
Neal, Diana Odland. "The physiological effects of a nursing intervention of intermittent human tactile contact on preterm infants." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/276799.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess if preterm infants receiving an intervention of intermittent human tactile contact would demonstrate clinical improvement over infants who did not receive the intervention. A quasi-experimental design was used with 26 infants between 28 and 32 weeks gestation. Hands were placed on the infants' heads and lower backs for a total of 36 minutes of tactile contact a day for 10 days. Findings indicated a significant gain in mean body weight for both groups between Day 0 and Day 10. Also, there was a significant decrease in mean hematocrit in the control group between Day 0 and Day 10. On Day 10, experimental infants had a significantly higher mean number of apneic and bradycardic episodes than control infants. There were no significant mean differences between the groups for body weight, body temperature stability, oxygen variance, or hematocrit. Data suggest that gentle human touch may be correlated with desireable outcomes. Further research is necessary.
18
Yip, Sau-kuen, and 葉秀娟. "Mother-infant intervention to promote maternal mental health after preterm birth." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2012. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B48339477.
Full textAbstract:
Compared to term infants, it is known that preterm infants have relatively poor regulation and are less able to handle stimulation, which only allows limited time of alertness favorable for productive social interaction. Parents that are less knowledgeable in this would often feel distressed when they try to interact with their babies. Also, non-optimal parent-infant interaction may further stress the preterm infants. So, intervention that seeks to handle this problem is needed. Mother-infant intervention is a strategy that teaches mothers or parents to respond appropriately to infants’ cues and when to stop handling. This intervention helps to achieve optimal parent-infant interaction. Evidence in the current literature has suggested that early mother-infant intervention in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is effective in promoting maternal mental health after preterm delivery. Therefore, the proposed innovation attempts to use mother-infant intervention to reduce depressive symptoms and parenting stress of these mothers.
The implementation potential of the mother-infant intervention was explored. It was found that the intervention is highly transferable and feasible to be applied in the hospital settings of Hong Kong with Chinese women. The benefits of implementing the proposed innovation also far outweigh the cost. An evidence-based practice guideline was then developed. Thorough communication plan, implementation plan and pilot study plan will be launched. The whole program will last for 24 months including stages from obtaining approval, planning, carrying out pilot study, launching the actual implementation, to conducting data collection and program evaluation.published_or_final_version
Nursing Studies
Master
Master of Nursing
19
Crowe, Linda Marie. "Assessment of preterm infants' readiness to commence breastfeeding." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2011. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/47167/1/Linda_Crowe_Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Preterm infants commence breastfeeding when health-care professionals deem them to be ready. However, the optimal timing for commencement of breastfeeding is unclear. Currently, there is little guidance for neonatal care providers to decide when to initiate breastfeeding among preterm infants. A mixed-methods study was conducted to develop and test the Preterm Sucking Readiness (PTSR) scale in four phases. The first phase involved a chart audit to explore the use of age as a criterion by investigating when preterm infants meet feeding milestones as well as other factors that may affect an infant’s readiness to engage in nutritive sucking behaviour. The second phase utilised focus groups to explore and define how neonatal care providers decide when to commence breastfeeding. To gain consensus on the criteria mentioned by the focus groups, a Delphi survey was conducted in phase 3, involving neonatal providers across Australia and New Zealand. Phase 4 of the study involved an observational study that was used to test the six-item PTSR. The age at which specific feeding milestones were reached was consistent with what has been previously described in the literature. The chart audit showed that the time taken to the first feeding attempt in the preterm infant population was affected by gestational age at birth, birth weight, and specific interventions. Staff also considered age along with other criteria when deciding when to initiate feeding. Consensus on nine criteria for inclusion into the six-item PTSR was achieved using the Delphi technique. Three items of PTSR showed significant differences between the preterm and fullterm infant groups. Only two items, feeding-readiness behaviour and low pulse oximetry during handling, explained the variance in breastfeeding behaviour. The inter-rater variability ranged between moderate and very good for the PTSR items. The results of this study indicate the importance of assessing behavioural cues as an indication of breastfeeding readiness in the preterm infant population, once an infant is deemed physiologically stable. Age continues to be a factor in some clinicians' decisions to commence breastfeeding. However, age alone cannot be used to decide if an infant is ready to engage in breastfeeding. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.
20
Goff, Dennis McKevitt. "The effects of nonnutritive sucking on state regulation in preterm infants." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52292.
Full textAbstract:
Nonnutritive Sucking (NNS) has long been used to soothe crying infants. Systematic observations of this effect in newborn infants have revealed that NNS reduces arousal in general. Among preterm infants NNS has been used as an effective intervention in the newborn intensive care unit. However, there has been little systematic research on the immediate behavioral effects of NNS in this population of infants. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of NNS on behavioral state in preterm infants. The results indicated that the amount of quiet sleep was increased following NNS, but that this increase was not greater than the amount of quiet sleep observed in two hours of undisturbed rest. These results are discussed in terms of intervention strategies which are designed to increase the amount of quiet sleep among preterm infants. It is suggested that a pacifier can increase the amount of quiet sleep when longer periods of uninterrupted sleep cannot be arranged. Additional results indicated that the rhythmic organization of state was more complex following NNS than during control conditions. A basic 40- to 60-minute rhythm in state was not affected by NNS. However, spectral analysis indicated that there were other faster frequency fluctuations in state. Following NNS there were more of these fluctuations and they accounted for more variance in state. This pattern is more similar to the pattern observed in low-risk newborns. These results are discussed in terms of inducing behavior patterns in preterm infants which are more similar to behavior seen in full term infants. Finally, a model is presented which suggests that the reduced arousal seen following NNS is an adjunct to an increase in parasympathetic activity. This increase in parasympathetic activity is hypothesized to be adaptive. Through this mechanism sucking is hypothesized to have a distinct behavioral effect on energy regulation in newborn infants outside of the requirements for feeding.Ph. D.
21
Ball, Gareth. "Computational magnetic resonance image analysis of brain development in the preterm infant." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2011. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/computational-magnetic-resonance-image-analysis-of-brain-development-in-the-preterm-infant(882d3802-c781-4171-8ce2-29ed1a8cc4d9).html.
Full textAbstract:
Currently 7-8% of all babies born in the UK are born preterm and the incidence has increased significantly over the past two decades. Improving medical care has led to increased survival in those born prematurely; however, preterm infants carry a profound risk of severe neurological disabilities along with a spectrum of major deficits across several domains including cognition, attention, coordination and behaviour. These wide-ranging and long-term consequences represent a significant burden to health and education services, yet the aetiology of the most prevalent cognitive and behavioural disorders remain unclear. Magnetic resonance imaging provides the means to quantitatively assess cerebral growth and development and is being increasingly employed to study the developing preterm brain. Evidence from neonatal imaging studies has revealed a number of specific cerebral alterations present in the preterm population that appear to predict neurodevelopmental outcome in early childhood and include diffuse microstructural disturbances of the developing white matter and regional volumetric tissue losses. In addition, a number of perinatal risk factors have been identified that are associated with both preterm birth and altered cerebral development. This thesis aims to test the hypothesis that connectivity and growth of developing neural systems are adversely affected by prematurity at birth and additionally influenced by specific perinatal risk factors. This is achieved through the application of multi-subject, multi-modal MRI analysis to quantify tissue microstructure and volume alongside novel methods for defining regional connectivity in the developing preterm brain. Evidence is provided that suggests connected neural structures are disturbed in preterm infants resulting in a complex pattern of regional micro- and macrostructural alteration that is evident at term-equivalent age and potentiated by respiratory morbidity. This is convergent with current theories of the mechanisms underpinning preterm brain injury and provides further insight into the consequences of preterm birth on brain development.
22
Bisset, William Michael. "The ontogeny of small intestinal motor activity in the human preterm infant." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/23729.
Full text
23
Smoleniec, John Stefan. "Preterm fetal behavioural states and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324366.
Full text
24
Telford, Emma Jane. "The effect of preterm birth on white matter tracts and infant cognition." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/29557.
Full textAbstract:
Preterm birth (defined as birth before 37 weeks) is a leading cause of neurocognitive impairment in childhood, including difficulties in social cognition and executive function. Microstructural divergence from typical brain development in the preterm brain can be quantified using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) tractography during the neonatal period. The relationship between dMRI tractography metrics and later cognitive difficulties remains inconclusive. A general measure of white matter microstructure (gWM) offers a neural basis for cognitive processes in adults, however it remains unclear when gWM is first detectable in the developmental trajectory. Eye-tracking is a technique which assesses eye-gaze behaviour in response to visual stimuli, which permits inference about underlying cognitive processes, such as social cognition and executive function in infancy. The primary aims of this thesis were to test the hypotheses: dMRI tractography reveals significant differences in tract-average fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) between preterm and term infants, and variance in tract-average FA and MD is shared across major tracts. Secondly, infants born preterm have altered social cognition and executive function compared to term born peers, assessed by eye-tracking and finally, neonatal MRI gWM is associated with cognitive function in infancy. Preterm (birth weight ≤ 1500g) and term infants (born ≥ 37 weeks’ post-menstrual age [PMA]) were recruited and underwent a MRI scan at term equivalent age (between 38 - 42 weeks’ PMA) and an eye-tracking assessment six to nine months later. Preterm infants were assessed at two years using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). dMRI tractography metrics were generated using probabilistic neighbourhood tractography (PNT) in eight pre-defined tracts-of-interest. Principal component analyses (PCA) were used to determine the correlations between the eight tracts-of-interest for four tract-averaged water diffusion parameters. dMRI metrics were compared to the eye-tracking performance and two year outcome data. Quantitative microstructural changes were identifiable within the preterm brain when compared to infants born at term. PCA revealed a single variable that accounts for nearly 50% of shared variance between tracts-of-interest, and all tracts showed positive loadings. Eye-tracking revealed group-wise differences in infant social cognition, attributable to preterm birth, but executive functions inferred from eye-tracking did not differ between groups. dMRI tractography metrics within the neonatal period did not relate to later outcome measures. This thesis shows that variance in dMRI parameters is substantially shared across white matter tracts of the developing brain and suggests that anatomical foundations of later intelligence are present by term equivalent age. Social cognition is altered by preterm birth, however social cognitive ability in infancy is independent of gWM.
25
Jacobson, Lena. "Visual dysfunction and ocular signs associated with periventricular leukomalacia in children born preterm /." Stockholm, 1998. http://diss.kib.ki.se/1998/91-628-3325-1/.
Full text
26
Deshpande, Girish. "Probiotics for Preterm Neonates for Prevention of Necrotising Enterocolitis." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/21854.
Full textAbstract:
Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious gastrointestinal emergency that is associated with high mortality and morbidly especially in extremely low birth weight neonates. The burden of NEC is very high due to prolonged hospitalisation, and cost of surgery. Since the treatment is mainly supportive, prevention is the only option. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Systematic reviews published by our group (Deshpande et al, Lancet 2007 & Pediatrics 2010) before commencing this doctorate research have shown the potential of probiotics in prevention of NEC and mortality. Aims of this research included 1) establish the evidence-based guidelines to use probiotics 2) introduce routine use of probiotics and perform before and after cohort study 3) evaluate the effect of routine probiotics on gut and tracheal microbiome in very preterm neonates (<30 weeks gestation). 4) to advance this field further, i) perform systematic review of RCTs probiotics in low and medium income countries ii) evaluate the role of para-probiotics in preterm neonates. This thesis by publications contains 8 chapters. Chapter 3 is a publication about evidence-based guidelines to use probiotics in preterm neonates. Chapter 4 presents a stepwise approach to introduce probiotics and results of before and after cohort study reporting significant reduction of NEC in probiotic cohort. Chapter 5 discusses the clinical evidence of benefits of probiotics in preterm neonates along with guidelines for clinicians in the context of the Australian regulatory framework. Chapter 6 presents significant results of tracheal and gut colonisation by probiotic bacteria. Chapter 7 incorporates the systematic review results that suggest benefits of probiotics in low and medium income countries in terms of reduction of NEC, sepsis and mortality. Chapter 8 discusses the possible role of para-probiotics in preterm neonates. In summary, this research has added significantly to the existing body of evidence in the area of probiotics for prevention of NEC in high risk preterm neonates, contributed in advancing this area further, evaluated the role of probiotics in low and medium income countries and the role of para-probiotics in preterm neonates.
27
Blay, Matthew. "Maturation of auditory parameters in the preterm infant with particular reference to diet." Thesis, Brunel University, 2000. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/6513.
Full textAbstract:
This study was developed from the original protocol which was to examine the role of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in the maturation of the auditory system in the preterm infant. The particular dietary components under investigation were arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaneoic( DHA) acids. This study investigates the wider aspects and implications of the preterm birth on the maturation of the preterm auditory system. Testing was performed using Auditory brainstem response (ABR) on preterm infants in Hillingdon Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The recruitment criteria was <32 weeks gestational age (GA) or <1500g. A normative data set was produced using term infants (3742 weeks GA). Tympanometric testing was also introduced to assess middle ear (ME) function in both preterm and term infants. The susceptance and conductance components were recorded at frequencies between 226 and 2000Hz. This testing enabled normative data to be established for multi-component, multi-frequency tympanometric analysis. The effect of the preterm birth on tympanometric data was also examined. A total of 22 preterm infants were recruited onto the study. The maturational characteristics of ABR parameters relating to neural transmission and synaptic efficacy were investigated. The peripheral auditory system (PAS) and the lower brainstem region were found to have maturation in their neural transmission properties. The auditory nerve, however, displays constant neural transmission properties throughout the preterm period. Maturation of the synaptic efficacy (using the rate effect) of the PAS was not identified. However, both auditory nerve and lower brainstem regions display reductions in the rate effect. This was greatest in the auditory nerve. The effect of the preterm birth was assessed. The PAS showed lesser conductive properties for the preterm infant during the term period. This behaviour was confirmed by poor tympanometric data for the preterm infants. The auditory nerve showed the same transmission properties for both term and preterm infants. This indicates that the lack of maturation in this region is replicating the characteristics of the term infant developing in utero. The lower brainstem region would seem to be the most susceptible to delayed development in the preterm infant. The rate effect for the PAS and auditory nerve indicate that the extra-uterine environment has not been detrimental to the maturation of synaptic efficacy as measured by the rate effect. The lower brainstem region rate effect is slightly higher for the preterm infants. This may indicate that this region is the most susceptible to possible synaptic deficiency. There is indication of a gender effect for transmission properties in the preterm infant. This suggests superior properties for females in the central auditory system. It is possible that this also occurs on a synaptic level. Dietary analysis suggested that the preterm infants (on this study) fed formula milk enriched with a LCPUFA composition have comparable auditory function (as measured by ABR) with breastfed infants. It is concluded that breastmilk would be the diet of choice due to the additional medical benefits. Tympanometry was found to be well tolerated in both term and preterm neonate populations. Testing in enclosed style incubators in the NICU was successful. Normative characteristics for multi-component tympanornetry at various frequencies was established. The ear canal acoustic and mechanical properties were identified as a source of variability for tympanogram morphology in the neonate populations. The interaction of the neonate external auditory meatus (EAM) violates assumptions relating to numerical data. A lack of maturation was found for preteen data, there was no evolution to the normative term data over the period studied. The more complex nature of the preterm tympanometric data was still observed during the term period. This indicates that there is a difference between the maturational characteristics of the term infant and those for the preterm infant in the clinical environment. The PAS ABR characteristics were compared with tympanometric data collected from the preterm infants. The lack of maturation in the tympanometric data suggests that the major contribution to the ABR maturation during the preterm period is due to the cochlear transduction and basic synaptic delay components. In addition, that poorer ME function (as displayed in the tympanometric data) contributes to the lesser PAS ABR conductive properties in the preterm population by the term period.
28
Salvan, Piergiorgio. "A neuroimaging study of the neural language network in the preterm infant brain." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2017. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/a-neuroimaging-study-of-the-neural-language-network-in-the-preterm-infant-brain(73f7259e-6d60-40b3-9c92-2cfbb00a2331).html.
Full textAbstract:
Language is uniquely human, and represents a fundamental feature of human cognition. However, whether the brain’s language network is already present around time of normal birth, or emerges in parallel with the behavioural development of this cognitive function during childhood, remains unclear. Preterm children are at increased risk for cognitive, language, and behavioural impairment. Studying preterm born infants at the time of normal birth therefore represents an opportunity to test hypotheses regarding the ontogeny of the language brain network, and to shed new light on how premature environmental exposure may affect the emergence of neurolinguistic architecture. Non-invasive in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging represents a powerful tool with which to study quantitatively the developing human brain. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown the presence around the time of normal birth of functional neural correlates of auditory speech processing, suggesting the presence of organized brain architecture at term. Current evidence also suggests that the human brain is particularly sensitive to developmental disruption occurring during the last trimester of gestation, with premature delivery having a long lasting signature on whole-brain architecture and later neurodevelopment. This thesis aims to 1) test the hypothesis that an adult-like brain language network is already present at the time of normal birth and is linked to cognitive performance at two years; 2) assess the effect of early environmental exposure linked to the degree of prematurity at birth in the relationship between brain and behaviour. Evidence is provided for the presence at term-equivalent age of adult-like functional/structural language brain features, linked to linguistic and cognitive abilities developed in early childhood, and independent of premature environmental exposure. This is consistent with the idea that neurolinguistic development is strongly constrained by brain maturation, and depends on the interplay between an initial genetic endowment, driving brain development, and interactions in a favourable socioeconomic environment.
29
Benassi, Erika <1981>. "Early Language Development in Extremely Preterm Infants: Relationships between Infant Communicative and Motor Skills and Role of Maternal Responses." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2016. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/7576/1/Benassi_Erika_tesi.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Despite the importance to identify infants at risk for later language concerns, little research focused on early communicative behaviors in extremely-low-gestational-age infants (ELGA, GA < 28 weeks). In particular, none investigated the multimodal communication in these infants, also considering possible connections to motor skills. Furthermore, rarely the communicative development of these infants has been studied as a result of the interplay among individual and environmental components. Thus, guided by the theoretical framework of the Dynamic Systems Theory, which views development as a result of the interaction between multiple subsystems within the infant and the context, two studies were designed.
In Study 1, spontaneous communicative behaviors (gestures, vocal utterances, and coordinations) were evaluated during mother-infant interactions in 20 ELGA infants and 20 full-term (FT) infants at 12 months. Less advanced communicative and motor abilities emerged in ELGA infants relative to FT infants. Giving and representational gestures were produced at a lower rate by ELGA infants, and pointing gestures and words were produced by a lower percentage of ELGA infants. Positive associations between gestural and fine motor skills were found in the ELGA group.
In Study 2, maternal responses provided to the infants' communicative behaviors were coded with regard to contingency and relevancy at 12 months. The mothers of the ELGA infants did not appear at risk for providing less prompt and meaningful responses relative to the mothers of FT infants, and their relevant responses were strictly related to their infants' communicative abilities at 12 months. Overall, the repeated labeling responses had a predictive effect on the expressive language at 24 months.
We discuss the importance to combine spontaneous communicative behaviors and motor skills in the clinical assessment and early intervention with ELGA infants. We also emphasize the usefulness of the maternal repeated labeling for supporting language development of these infants.
30
Morgan, Colin. "The absorption of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in term and preterm infants." Thesis, Keele University, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.318156.
Full text
31
Kleberg, Agneta. "Promoting preterm infants' development and mother child interaction : newborn individualized developmental care and assessment program." Stockholm, 2006. http://diss.kib.ki.se/2006/91-7140-850-9/.
Full text
32
Ericson, Jenny. "Breastfeeding in mothers of preterm infants : Prevalence and effects of support." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för kvinnors och barns hälsa, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-333575.
Full textAbstract:
The overall aim of this thesis was to describe the prevalence of breastfeeding in preterm infants and to evaluate the effectiveness and mother’s experiences of proactive person-centred telephone support after discharge. Furthermore, to describe the duration of breastfeeding and risks of ceasing breastfeeding up to 12 months. The first study, a register study with data from the Swedish Neonatal Quality register (SNQ), included breastfeeding data at discharge from 29 445 preterm infants born from 2004-2013. The results demonstrated that the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among preterm infants in Sweden decreased during the study period, especially among extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks). We also performed a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) of 493 breastfeeding mothers of preterm infants discharged from six neonatal units in Sweden. The intervention consisted of a proactive breastfeeding telephone support system in which a breastfeeding support team called the mothers once everyday up to 14 days after discharge. The control group received reactive support; the mothers were invited to call the breastfeeding support team if they wanted to talk or ask any questions (i.e., usual care). The RCT demonstrated that the intervention did not affect exclusive breastfeeding at eight weeks after discharge (primary outcome) or up to 12 months. The proactive support did not affect maternal breastfeeding satisfaction, attachment, quality of life or method of feeding (secondary outcomes). However, parental stress was significantly reduced in mothers in the intervention group. Mothers in the intervention group were significantly more satisfied and involved in the support and felt empowered compared with mothers in the control group, who experienced reactive support as dual. Further findings showed that a lower maternal educational level, partial breastfeeding at discharge and longer stay in the neonatal unit increased the risk of ceasing breastfeeding during the first 12 months of postnatal age. In conclusion, the trend for exclusive breastfeeding at discharge in preterm infants is declining, which necessitates concern. The evaluated intervention of telephone support did not affect breastfeeding, in the short-or long-term. However, maternal stress was reduced and mothers were significantly more satisfied with the proactive support and felt empowered by the support.
33
Lubbe, Welma. "Best practice guidelines for neurodevelopmental supportive care of the preterm infant / by Welma Lubbe." Thesis, North-West University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/3656.
Full textAbstract:
INTRODUCTION: The survival rate of preterm infants increased over the past few decades, posing a variety of challenges to the preterm infant due to the stark mismatch between the intra-uterine and extra-uterine environment they are prematurely exposed to. Neurodevelopmental Supportive Care (NDSC) is suggested to improve short and long term outcomes of the preterm infant. This method will make the biggest difference and prove most successful in severely challenged settings with little resources.
PROBLEM STATEMENT: The problem in South Africa is that an average of 14.6% of infants are born of low-birth-weight and are at risk for developmental delays, but no Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) for the NDSC of the preterm infant are available nationally or internationally, and therefore the aim of this study was to develop such BPGs.
PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: This aim was achieved through four objectives: (1) To describe the components of NDSC by means of an Integrative Literature Review,
(2) To develop a checklist (based on the description of the components) to assess the operationalisation of NDSC, (3) To conduct a situational analysis of the operationalisation of NDCS in public sector hospitals in South Africa (using the checklist, structured observation, key-informant interviews as part of the observation and field notes), and (4) To formulate BPGs for NDSC in the public sector hospitals in South Africa.
METHOD: The research was performed in 3 stages, here discussed in 7 chapters. Stage one aimed to describe the components of NDSC by means of an ILR and stage two comprised a situational analysis of the operationalisation of NDSC in public sector hospitals in South Africa.
RESULTS: The results from stage one and conclusion statements from stage two were synthesised to formulate BPGs in stage three. These BPGs were graded and recommendations for implementation were formulated.
The final chapter of the research discusses the evaluation of the study, identifies limitations and suggests recommendations for nursing practice, education and research.Thesis (Ph.D. (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.
34
Berglund, Malin, and Frida Nilsson. "Parent’s experiences of feeding their preterm infant in Neonatal Units in Sweden. : Ethnographic design." Thesis, Högskolan Dalarna, Vårdvetenskap, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-21163.
Full textAbstract:
Introduction: Studies have shown that having a preterm infant may cause stress and powerlessness for parents. It is important to support parents around the feeding situation, and that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has appropriate space and place to help the family to bond to each other. For the healthcare professionals it is important to promote skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding; particularly for preterm infants. There are many studies on parent’s experiences of NICUs and a few studies on parent’s experiences of feeding their infant in the NICU. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore parents experiences of feeding their infant in the NICU. Design: The study was conducted using an ethnographic design. Results: A global theme of ‘The journey in feeding’ was developed from four organising themes: ‘Ways of infant feeding’; ‘Environmental influences’; ‘Relationships’ and ‘Emotional factors’. These themes illustrate the challenges mothers reported with different methods of feeding. The environment had a big impact on parent’s experiences of infant feeding. Some mothers felt that breastfeeding seemed unnatural because their infant was so tiny but breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact helped them to bond to their infant. The mothers thought it was difficult to keep up with the milk production by only pumping. Routines were not inviting parents to find their own rhythm. They also felt stressed about the weighing. Healthcare professionals had positive and negative influences on the parents. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that while all parents expressed the wish to breastfeed, their ‘journey in feeding’ was highly influenced by method of feeding, environmental, relational and emotional factors. The general focus upon routines and assessing milk intake generated anxiety and reduced relationality. Midwives and neonatal nurses need to ensure that they emphasise and support the relational aspects of parenting and avoid over-emphasising milk intake and associated progress of the infantIntroduktion: Studier har visat att få ett prematurt barn kan orsaka stress och maktlöshet hos föräldrar. Det är viktigt att stödja föräldrarna runt matsituationen av barnet och att neonatalavdelningen har tillräckligt med plats för att hjälpa familjerna att knyta an till varandra. För sjukvårdspersonalen är det viktigt att främja hud-mot-hud och amning, särskilt för tidigt födda spädbarn. Det finns många studier om föräldrars upplevelser om neonatalavdelningar men få studier om föräldrars upplevelser av att mata sitt barn på neonatalavdelning. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka upplevelserna föräldrar hade av att mata sina barn på neonatalavdelning. Design: Studien genomfördes med en etnografisk metod. Resultat: Ett globalt tema av ’Matresan’ utvecklades från fyra olika organisationsteman: ’Olika sätt att mata barnet’, ’Miljöns påverkan’, ’Relationer’ och ’Känslomässiga faktorer’. Dessa teman visar på de olika utmaningar föräldrarna upplevde vid de olika matsituationerna av barnet. Miljön hade en stor inverkan på föräldrarnas upplevelser av matsituationerna hos barnen. En del mammor upplevde amning som onaturligt eftersom deras barn var så små men att amning och hud-mot-hud hjälpte dem att knyta an till deras barn. Mammorna tyckte att det var svårt att hålla igång mjölkproduktionen genom att endast pumpa. Rutinerna på avdelningen hjälpte inte föräldrarna att hitta sin egen rytm. De kände sig även stressade av att väga barnet. Sjukvårdspersonalen hade både positiv och negativ inverkan på föräldrarna. Slutsats: Den här studien visar att trots att alla föräldrar önskade att amma så påverkades matresan av val av mat-metod, miljön, relations- och känslomässiga faktorer. Det generella fokuset på rutiner och intaget av mängden bröstmjölk genererade i ångest och minskade anknytningen. Barnmorskor och neonatalsjuksköterskor måste lägga störst fokus på att stödja
35
Victor, Suresh. "Cerebral electrical activity and cerebral fractional oxygen extraction in the human preterm newborn infant." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.606782.
Full text
36
Ramnarain, Pallavi. "A Comparative Analysis of Methods for Baseline Drift Removal in Preterm Infant Respiration Signals." VCU Scholars Compass, 2010. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/138.
Full textAbstract:
Breathing is a vital function intrinsic to the survival of any human being. In preterm infants it is an important indicator of maturation and feeding competency, which is a hallmark for hospital release. The recommended method of measurement of infant respiration is the use of thermistors. Accurate event detection within thermistor generated signals relies heavily upon effective noise reduction, specifically baseline drift removal. Baseline drift originates from several sensor-based factors, including thermistor placement within the sensor and in relation to the infant nares. This work compares four methods for baseline drift removal using the same event detection algorithm. The methods compared were a linear spline subtraction, a cubic spline subtraction, a neural network baseline approximation, and a double differentiation of the thermistor signal. The method yielding the highest event detection rate was shown to be the double differentiation method, which serves to attenuate the baseline drift to zero without approximating and subtracting it.
37
Spears, Karen. "Relationship of vitamin A status to bronchopulmonary dysplasia in a large preterm infant cohort /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/6610.
Full text
38
Aikio, O. (Outi). "Pulmonary nitric oxide in preterm and term infants with respiratory failure." Doctoral thesis, University of Oulu, 2002. http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:9514268512.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate pulmonary endogenous and
inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in neonates with severe respiratory failure.
Infant autopsy documents were reviewed for fulminant early-onset
bacterial pneumonia. 12 infants with the onset at < 72 h of age and
three control groups were identified. Immunohistochemistry revealed that
11 of the infants with early-onset pneumonia (92%) had no or faint
inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) staining in their alveolar
macrophages (AM). All control infants, regardless of their postnatal age,
had NOS2-positive AM. The marker of NO-toxicity, nitrotyrosine, was low in
all specimens. To confirm this finding, airway specimens of 21 newborns
requiring mechanical ventilation were examined. Seven of them had
fulminant early-onset pneumonia with maternal ascending intra-uterine
infection (IUI). The controls had no infection at birth despite IUI or
neither infection nor IUI. In early-onset pneumonia, NOS2 and
nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity were low at birth and increased during the
recovery phase (p < 0.05). Analyses of interleukin-1 and
surfactant protein A showed the same pattern of age-dependent
change.
Of the autopsied infants, 12 had received inhaled NO (iNO) before
death. Each case was paired with a matched control. Additional five
infants without respiratory failure prior to death were also studied. The
iNO-treated ones tended to have more intensive NOS2 staining in the
bronchiolar epithelium and adjacent tissue than the controls. No
differences in other NOS isoforms or nitrotyrosine were detected.
A novel method for exhaled NO measurements of intubated infants was
developed. Six preterm and six term newborns were prospectively recruited
for expired and nasal NO measurements. During the first week of life, the
preterm infants showed a different pattern of exhaled NO excretion
compared to the term infants.
For the pilot intervention study on very early iNO, the eligible
patients had a birth weight < 1500 g and progressive, therapy-resistant
respiratory failure before five hours of age. Five infants received iNO,
showed immediately improved oxygenation and survived without deleterious
side effects.
Deficient production of NO in small premature infants is associated
with severe infection and respiratory failure. Very early iNO therapy may
be exceptionally effective in a select group of infants, and did not
appear to cause oxidation lung injury.
39
Fallon, Joanne. "GROWING UP IN IRELAND: FACTORS IMPACTING SLEEP PATTERNS OF PRETERM INFANTS." VCU Scholars Compass, 2015. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3736.
Full textAbstract:
GROWING UP IN IRELAND: FACTORS IMPACTING SLEEP PATTERNS OF PRETERM INFANTS
By Joanne Fallon MS, OT, PhD
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015.
Major Director: Shelly J. Lane, PhD, Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
Preterm infants represent the largest child patient group in the European Union (EU), accounting for 5.5-11.4% of all births (European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants, 2011b). Preterm birth is defined as birth prior to 37 weeks gestation. Infants born late preterm (34-36 weeks) are considered more similar to early preterm (> 34 weeks) than to full-term infants, despite previously regarded as near-term (Raju Higgins, Stark, & Leveno, 2006). For preterm infants, sleeping functions are critical as they demonstrate the ability to adjust to biological and social rhythms and support emotional regulation, learning, and memory. Many studies have focused on sleep patterns of full-term infants; however, few have investigated preterm infants and none have compared early and late preterm infants with a population from the Republic of Ireland. The purpose of this study was to identify infant and parent characteristics that promote optimal sleep in preterm infants and to establish whether the parent-infant relationship mediates this association. A secondary purpose was to test the transactional model of sleep. Parent report of infant sleep
was taken from a recent population-based dataset from the Republic of Ireland. A comparison of the day and nighttime sleep patterns of early and late preterm infants found no difference between groups. There was also no difference in infant temperament, breast-feeding, parental stress, depression, or sociodemographics. A difference was found between groups in infant development, weight at 9 months, and age infant began solid foods. This finding was not surprising as infants born early preterm are at greater at greater risk of developmental delay and disability. Results of this study suggest that the paternal-infant relationship has a mediating impact on the relationship between infant temperament and nighttime waking in the early preterm group only, while the maternal-infant relationship has a mediating role in both groups. These findings add to the body of knowledge on the transactional model of sleep, and are the first to identify infant temperament and the paternal-infant relationship as important factors. Implications of these results are discussed in the context of the transactional model of sleep and recommendations for future research are presented.
40
Novelli, Lauren. "Racism and Infant Mortality: Links Between Racial Stress and Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women and their Infants." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439305228.
Full text
41
Armbruster, Debra L. "Effects of Inflammation on Growth Prior to the Diagnosis of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1249490373.
Full text
42
Nist, Marliese Dion. "Inflammatory Mediators of Stress Exposure and Neurodevelopment in Very Preterm Infants." The Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565718071063954.
Full text
43
Foreman, Shuyuann Wang. "Maturation of state organization in preterm infants during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7342.
Full text
44
Gleeson, Sonia B. "Mother-infant interactions in preterm and term samples : relationship to socio-demographic and psychological factors." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.418748.
Full text
45
Kunisch, Julie A. "Reducing stress in the neonatal intensive care unit:an occupational therapy approach to preterm infant massage." Thesis, Boston University, 2014. https://hdl.handle.net/2144/11109.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityPreterm infants and their parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are a growing client population for occupational therapists. The NICU environment of care can be over stimulating and cause high amounts of stress for preterm infants and their parents. Evidence-based literature supports preterm infant massage to decrease stress for preterm infants and improve overall neurobehavioral development. Evidenced-based literature also supports decreased stress for parents that perform preterm infant massage with their child as well as improved confidence of parental skills and infant-parent attachment. Despite these benefits, infant massage is practiced in less than half of the NICUs in the United States (Field, Diego & Hernandez-Reif, 2010). This may be related to the underlying mechanisms not being well understood and/or cost effectiveness considerations. This doctoral project (1) identifies evidenced-based literature to support the benefits of preterm infant massage for both the infant and the parent, (2) investigates evidence and best practice in designing a preterm infant massage parent education program in the NICU that supports the infant-parent dyad, (3) provides an overview of best practice for implementing a preterm infant massage parent education program in the NlCU, (4) describes a detailed evaluation plan and dissemination of the results including estimated budgets for implementation and dissemination. This project's target audiences are medical directors, directors of occupational therapy departments, neonatal occupational therapists, neonatologists, other health care staff in the NICU, and parents of preterm infants in the NICU. This project will be presented to the medical director of a Level IV NlCU and the director of occupational therapy at University of Rochester Medical Center-Golisano Children's Hospital for consideration of implementation. This project contributes to three areas of occupational therapy: (1) addressing best practice for implementing a preterm infant massage program in the NlCU to reduce stress levels for infants and parents, (2) providing more evidenced-based practice with a growing occupational therapy population of preterm infants and their parents, and (3) building a more diverse occupational therapy profession.
46
Griesel, H. A. "Comparison of the trough levels of two vancomycin formulations in a selected preterm infant population." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/3982.
Full textAbstract:
>Magister Scientiae - MScThe aim of this study was to compare the trough plasma levels of Aspen-Vancomycin® (AV); and Sandoz-Vancocin CP® (SV) in premature infants with suspected Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The study was designed as a prospective, double blind, randomised trial involving male and female premature infants admitted in the Neonatal Intensive care Unit (NICU) at Netcare Blaauwberg and N1-city Hospitals for treatment of suspected MRSA-infection between April 2012 and June 2013. The inclusion criteria were: 29-35 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA), informed and written consent from parents of each premature infant enrolled in the study. Blood samples (0.3-0.4ml) were collected for renal function test and vancomycin trough levels determination. Blood samples for vancomycin trough level assay were collected thirty minutes prior to the administration of the third dose of vancomycin. Statistical analysis was performed and estimation was made giving an indication of how many infants will be needed to make the study statistically significant. Wilcoxon Two-Sample test was performed to determine the p-values and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to determine the correlation between trough levels and variables. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. A total of 19 premature infants met with study criteria, 10 (5 females and 5 males) received AV and 9 (6 females and 3 males) receive d SV. There was no statistical significant difference between the demographic (GA, BW, PMA, PNA, weight at trial entry, height at trial entry) and biological (albumin, serum creatinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate) parameters of the premature infants in the AV and SV group. There were no statistical significant difference between trough level 1 of AV and SV, although trough level 1 had a lower trend in the SV group (p=0.118). No AV trough level 1 was below the minimum effective concentration (<5μg/ml). It was found that 30% of AV trough level 1 was within the therapeutic range (5-10μg/ml) and 70% of AV trough level 1, were above minimum toxic concentration (>10mg/l). It was found that 22.2% of SV trough level 1 was below minimum effective concentration, 44.4% of SV trough level 1 was within therapeutic range and 33.3% of trough level 1 was above minimum toxic concentration. No correlation was found between trough level 1 and the demographic and biological parameters of the premature infants in the AV group. SV had a positive correlation with GA, BBW, PMA and a negative correlation with PNA
47
Ochandorena, Acha Mirari. "Intervención temprana multimodal de fisioterapia para niños prematuros y sus padres." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/670667.
Full textAbstract:
La intervención temprana multimodal de fisioterapia se presenta como una intervención preventiva para niños nacidos prematuros y sus padres. Iniciando en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales y continuando después del alta, hasta los 2 meses de edad corregida del niño, su objetivo es sensibilizar a los padres y proporcionarles estrategias para el cuidado de su hijo, favorecer la interacción entre padres e hijos, así como favorecer el desarrollo del infante y proporcionarle oportunidades de movimiento a través de actividades apropiadas para su desarrollo.
Mediante investigaciones de metodología mixta, la presente tesis doctoral aporta nuevas evidencias sobre la intervención temprana de fisioterapia. A través de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado, realizado en el Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona, y un estudio cualitativo de entrevistas, que pretende alcanzar un conocimiento más integral sobre la efectividad de la intervención temprana multimodal de fisioterapia.The early multimodal physiotherapy intervention is presented as a preventive intervention for children born prematurely and their parents. The designed intervention starts in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and continues after discharge, up to 2 months of corrected age. Its objective is to sensitize parents and provide them with strategies for caring their child, promote interaction between parents and the preterm infant, as well as promoting infant development and providing opportunities for movement through developmentally appropriate activities. Through mixed methodology research, this doctoral thesis provides new evidence of early intervention in physiotherapy. A randomized clinical trial was carried out at the Sant Joan de Déu Children’s Hospital in Barcelona, and a qualitative study with interviews. These studies aim was to achieve a more comprehensive knowledge about the effectiveness of early multimodal physiotherapy intervention.
Programa de Doctorat: Cures Integrals i Serveis de Salut
48
Borges, Juliana. "Nursing interventions to decrease respiratory distress during bottle feeding with preterm infants." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2010. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/1363.
Full textAbstract:
This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your Honors Thesis, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by following the instructions on the distribution consent form at http://library.ucf.edu/Systems/DigitalInitiatives/DigitalCollections/InternetDistributionConsentAgreementForm.pdf You may also contact the project coordinator, Kerri Bottorff, at kerri.bottorff@ucf.edu for more information.Bachelors
Nursing
Nursing
49
Page, Phyllis A. "An investigation of the relationship between maternal-infant patterns of synchrony during feeding, preterm infant state and a parent administered state modulation treatment /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7272.
Full text
50
Kaukola, T. (Tuula). "Perinatal brain damage in very preterm infants:prenatal inflammation and neurologic outcome in children born term and preterm." Doctoral thesis, University of Oulu, 2005. http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:9514278402.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Despite improvements in peri- and neonatal care and an increase in the overall survival of very preterm infants, the incidence of neurologic sequelae has remained high. The pathogenesis of many brain imaging findings, such as white matter damage, WMD, is poorly understood. The factors predisposing to brain damage differ between term and preterm infants. More detailed information is needed of how brain imaging correlates with neurodevelopmental impairment after the neonatal period. The present study investigated the pre- and perinatal factors leading to brain damage and their effects on neurologic and neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm children. We also analyzed the differences in umbilical cord serum cytokines in term and preterm children with cerebral palsy, CP. Furthermore, the correlations between the findings on diffusion-weighted imaging, DWI, measurements in brainstem auditory evoked potentials, and neurodevelopmental outcome were assessed. We demonstrated that pregnancies complicated by combined histologic chorioamnionitis and placental insufficiency independently predicted abnormal neurologic outcome at 2 years of corrected age. WMD additively predicted poor outcome. Isolated fetal inflammatory response, umbilical cord serum acute phase cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α), did not associate with neurologic outcome in either term or preterm children. Instead, a cluster of cytokines different from acute phase cytokines were related to CP, and the protein profile differed between term and preterm children. Disturbed hemodynamics during the pre- and perinatal period affected outcome in very preterm infants. In severe placental insufficiency, fetal cardiac compromise associated with suboptimal neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of corrected age. In addition, several clinical factors characterising cardiorespiratory status after birth associated with abnormal neurologic outcome at 2 years of corrected age. We found the apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC, a quantitative measurement of water diffusion, in pons to correlate with the conduction rate of impulses travelling through the auditory tract. We also demonstrated a high value of ADC in corona radiata to associate with poor outcome in gross motor and eye-hand coordination skills at 2 years of corrected age. Both pre- and perinatal factors associate with later outcome in very preterm infants. An isolated fetal inflammatory response does not predict neurologic outcome. Findings on DWI in specific brain regions predict abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomeTiivistelmä Huolimatta vastasyntyneisyyskauden parantuneista hoitotuloksista ja että yhä useampi hyvin ennenaikaisena syntynyt lapsi jää eloon, heidän neurologisen vammautuneisuuden ilmaantuvuus on edelleen korkea. Monien aivojen kuvantamislöydösten, kuten valkean aineen vaurion, syntymekanismit tunnetaan huonosti. Aivojen vaurioitumiselle altistavat tekijät eroavat täysiaikaisena ja ennenaikaisena syntyneillä lapsilla. Tarvitaan myös aiempaa yksityiskohtaisempaa tietoa aivojen kuvantamislöydösten merkityksestä lasten vastasyntyneisyyskauden jälkeiseen kehitykseen. Tässä tutkimuksessa selvitettiin raskauden- ja syntymänaikaisia tekijöitä, jotka vaikuttavat aivojen vaurioitumiseen hyvin ennenaikaisena syntyneillä lapsilla sekä näiden tekijöiden merkitystä lasten neurologiseen kehitykseen. Tarkastelimme myös napaveren seerumin välittäjäaineiden, sytokiinien, eroavuuksia täysiaikaisena ja ennenaikaisena syntyneillä CP-lapsilla. Lisäksi selvitimme diffuusiomagneettitutkimus- ja aivorunkoherätevastelöydösten sekä neurologisen kehityksen välisiä yhteyksiä. Tämän tutkimuksen mukaan kohdunsisäinen tulehdus ja istukan vajaatoiminta yhtä aikaa esiintyessään ovat poikkeavan neurologisen kehityksen itsenäisiä riskitekijöitä lapsilla 2 vuoden korjatussa iässä tutkittuna. Valkoisen aivoaineen vaurio edelleen lisäsi näiden lasten huonon neurologisen kehityksen ennustetta. Raskauden kestosta riippumatta, sikiön tulehdusvastetta kuvaavat napaveren akuutin vaiheen tulehdusvälittäjäaineet (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF- α) eivät vaikuttaneet lapsen neurologiseen kehitykseen. Sen sijaan, CP-lasten napaverestä löytyi erityinen joukko ei-akuutin vaiheen välittäjäaineita. Nämä valkuaisaineet erosivat toisistaan täysiaikaisena ja ennenaikaisena syntyneillä CP-lapsilla. Raskauden- ja syntymänaikaiset verenkierron häiriöt vaikuttivat hyvin ennenaikaisena syntyneiden lasten myöhempään kehitykseen. Vaikeassa istukan vajaatoiminassa sikiön sydämen toiminnan heikkeneminen liittyi lapsen suboptimaaliin neurologiseen kehitykseen 1 vuoden korjatussa iässä tutkittuna. Lisäksi useat syntymänjälkeiset keuhkojen ja verenkierron tilaa kuvaavat kliiniset tekijät liittyivät lapsen poikkeavaan neurologiseen kehitykseen 2 vuoden korjatussa iässä tutkittuna. Tutkimuksemme mukaan, veden diffuusiota määrällisesti kuvaava diffuusiokerroin, ADC, aivosillasta mitattuna, liittyi impulssien johtumisnopeutueen kuuloradastossa. Lisäksi korkea ADC-arvo aivojen sepelviuhkassa liittyi karkean motoriikan ja silmä-käsi-yhteistyötaitojen huonoon kehitykseen 2 vuoden korjatussa iässä tutkittuna. Sekä raskauden- että syntymänaikaiset tekijät vaikuttavat hyvin ennenaikaisena syntyneiden lasten myöhempään kehitykseen. Yksittäinen sikiön tulehdusvaste ei ennakoi lapsen neurologista kehitystä. Tiettyjen aivoalueiden diffuusiokuvantamislöydökset ennustavat lapsen poikkeavaa neurologista kehitystä