Rhythmic stimulation will be provided as an intervention for premature infants with the aim of preventing or reducing mental and emotional disability. The intervention is unique in two major ways: 1) stimulation is optional for the infant--the infant regulates the amount and temporal distribution of stimulation received; and 2) the rhythm is set for each infant, to match a biological rhythm of the infant, or of the mother. Two premises are basic for this intervention: 1) that premature infants are deprived of the organizing forces of the mother's biological rhythms provided in utero, and 2) that self-reflecting rhythms will be attractive to the infant. The source of stimulation is a specially constructed """"""""breathing"""""""" bear placed in the crib with the infant. The Bear breathes by means of a pump placed outside the crib. The results of a study indicate that premature infants are capable of seeking contact with a Breathing Bear, breathing at the rate of the infant during Quiet Sleep. This experience led to increased Quiet Sleep, indicating effective entrainment and facilitation of CNS maturation in these infants. Using continuous time-lapse video recording, measures of contact with the bear, Quiet Sleep, and activity level were obtained. The subjects were stable prematures of 32 weeks G.A. The first study will replicate the one just described, to permit longitudinal assessment of effects of the pre-term intervention (12 subjects in each of 3 groups). The next study will explore the infants' preferred rate of breathing for the bear: the infant's own respiration rate in Quiet Sleep, or in Active Sleep, or the mother's respiration or heart rate (12 infants in each of the 4 groups). The third study will compare infants' preferences for the Breathing Bear and another source of rhythmic stimulation, an oscillating air mattress pad (12 subjects in each of the 2 groups). The bear, breathing to match the infant's own rate during Quiet Sleep, is expected to be the most preferred and most effective intervention. Effects will be assessed at 3 age periods: 1) during the intervention, using measures of Quiet Sleep and activity; weight gain; and the Korner Maturity Scales; 2) at 2-5 weeks post-term, using measures of state stability from home monitoring; and 3) home observations of mother-infant interaction at 1 year, and Bayley Mental and Motor Scales at 1 and 2 years. We expect the self-selected, self-reflecting stimulation to have lasting facilitative effects on the emotional and intellectual functioning of the premature infants.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
9R01HD032903-07
Application #
2206191
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Project Start
1986-05-01
Project End
1998-05-31
Budget Start
1994-08-01
Budget End
1995-05-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Storrs-Mansfield
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06269
Thoman, Evelyn B (2003) Temporal patterns of caregiving for preterm infants indicate individualized developmental care. J Perinatol 23:29-36
Novosad, Claire; Thoman, Evelyn B (2003) The breathing bear: an intervention for crying babies and their mothers. J Dev Behav Pediatr 24:89-95
Cheruku, Sunita R; Montgomery-Downs, Hawley E; Farkas, Susanna L et al. (2002) Higher maternal plasma docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy is associated with more mature neonatal sleep-state patterning. Am J Clin Nutr 76:608-13
Hunsley, Melissa; Thoman, Evelyn B (2002) The sleep of co-sleeping infants when they are not co-sleeping: evidence that co-sleeping is stressful. Dev Psychobiol 40:14-22
Carroll, D A; Denenberg, V H; Thoman, E B (1999) A comparative study of quiet sleep, active sleep, and waking on the first 2 days of life. Dev Psychobiol 35:43-8
Ingersoll, E W; Thoman, E B (1999) Sleep/wake states of preterm infants: stability, developmental change, diurnal variation, and relation with caregiving activity. Child Dev 70:1-10
Novosad, C; Thoman, E B (1999) Stability of temperament over the childhood years. Am J Orthopsychiatry 69:457-64
Novosad, C; Freudigman, K; Thoman, E B (1999) Sleep patterns in newborns and temperament at eight months: a preliminary study. J Dev Behav Pediatr 20:99-105
Montgomery-Downs, H; Thoman, E B (1998) Biological and behavioral correlates of quiet sleep respiration rates in infants. Physiol Behav 64:637-43
Freudigman, K A; Thoman, E B (1998) Infants' earliest sleep/wake organization differs as a function of delivery mode. Dev Psychobiol 32:293-303