Effectiveness of Tactile and Auditory Stimulation on Physiological Parameters among Preterm Neonates

Abstract

The present study evaluates the effectiveness of tactile and auditory stimulation on physiological parameters among preterm neonates admitted in selected hospitals at Nagercoil. Prematurity is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of gestation. Since preterm neonates offers less time of growth or development in the uterus of mother the internal organs are not matured fully. Due to this, it will take few more weeks to the preterm neonates in the NICU for further maturation of organs to lead a life without medical care .So the infant needs special care in the NICU until the organs have developed enough to keep the baby alive without medical support. This may take weeks to months. In the NICU preterm neonates are repeatedly subjected to painful, intrusive procedures develop touch aversion and exposed to noisy monitor sounds develop noise aversion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of tactile and auditory stimulation among preterm neonates and those who received it will experiences more significant weight gain, stable temperature, stable heart rate, stable respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, improved feeding pattern, increased sleeping time, decreased crying spells and increased urination compared to control group.The results found that the preterm neonates, who received tactile and auditory stimulation achieved weight gain (t = 35.368), stable temperature (t = 55.865), stable heart rate (t = 40.948), stable respiratory rate (t = 41.078), stable oxygen saturation (t =43.937), increased feeding pattern (X2 = 26.612), increased sucking pattern (X2 = 30.572), increased duration per sleep (X2 = 43.364), increased sleeping pattern (X2 = 56.885), decreased crying pattern (X2 = 48.553) and increased urination pattern (X2 = 58.989) than control group preterm neonates. These results were statistically significant at 0.05 level. The present study findings concluded that the tactile and auditory stimulation had positive effects on growth and maturation in preemies. newline