2. Introduction
Uterine environment
Preterm infant
Birth
Neurodevelopment
Survival and challenges
Considerate care
The environment and homeostasis
Conclusion
3. Introduction
Neurodevelopmental care is a broad term applied to physician-
physical environmental elements and family involvement that
may favourably impact the neurodevelopment of premature
newborns.
This include: position strategies, modulation of light and sound
exposure and emphasis on the need to preserve sleep
Focus of NICU: physiological support of respiratory, cardiac etc..
An effort to improve outcomes have shifted attention towards
neuroprotective strategies and Neurodevelopmental support
Neuroprotection includes meds, and modifying resp and CVS
strategies to prevent or ameliorate CNS injury
4. Uterine environment
The uterus is the optimal environment for development from
conception
From conception onwards, the foetus is thought to be
organising five distinct but interrelated subsystems: ANS,
motor (governs posture and movements), state (sleep to
wakefulness), attention and self-regulatory
Infants born prematurely have an interrupted maturation of the
five subsystems
Premature infants have an ongoing maturation of each
subsystem while infant negotiates more independent
functioning e.g breathing, maintaining postures while also
facing challenges like enduring bright light, harsh noises,
frequent handling etc.
5. Preterm infant
<37/40
The extra-uterine environment is not similar to the
intrauterine, infant is continuously exposed to stressful
environment in stark sensory mismatch to the developing
nervous system’s biological needs
The brain is a fragile, immature organ at high risk of
haemorrhage and neurological impairment
Preterm birth further disrupts the development ofal
progression of brain structures and affects development of
the sensory system
6. Preterm survival
Survival rate due to an improvement in perinatal care
techniques, technology such as ventilation and meds like
surfactant and other pharmacological advances
However, there has not been a corresponding improvement in
the long term developmental outcomes for these surviving
infants
Development and functionality during these life periods impact
directly on the social and economic structures of the country,
with a poor functionality resulting in a socio-economic burden
More babies survive due to technological advances, but their
quality of developmental outcomes may be a burden to society
7. Survival
Has been addressed by implementing NIC,
but the preterm infant remains at risk for a
range of morbidity related to the immaturity
of organ systems assoc. with prematurity
Leading to physical and developmental
challenges
8. An approach using a range of EBM (medical
interventions) aiming to decrease the stress
of preterm infants in NICU
It provides care in a manner in which the
environment and process of care is adjusted
and individualised in response to
development and tolerance
Incl. Communication abilities to enhance
optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes
Interventions are designed to simulate the
intra-uterine environment
To promote normal neonatal development
9. Remembering the intrauterine environment which is
where the preterm infant should be:
Noise, light, temperature, touch and smell will have a big impact
on the infant.
Pain and discomfort are sensations that the infant has not
experienced before.
The fight for survival starts at birth, with possible
respiratory complications, challenges of feeding, and
maintaining homeostasis
Remember: by 20 weeks, the total number of nerve cells
in the brain will have been developed
From 20 weeks gest. age to 2 years, brain growth is
significant
There are more synapses in the brain at term than any
other time in life
10. As a baby grows, myelination helps
them process information more
quickly.
There are as many neurons in the
brain as the number of leaves on
trees in the amazon rain forest
11. Neuro-development
Around 28 weeks, tremendous refinement and restructuring of
neuronal connections occur.
There is a phase of rapid synaptogenesis, sensitive or critical period
where environmental factors may have detrimental influences on
brain development
Neurons forming the visual cortex are in place at 26/40
28-34/40 visual neuronal connections undergo rapid development
28-30/40: rapid maturation of cochlea and auditory nerve
Hearing threshold 40dB by 28-34/40, decreasing with maturity
12. Neurodevelopment
The more preterm infant will show less mature response than term
babies.
Neurological assessment evaluates: reflexes, neonatal state which
maybe sleep or awake state
Preterm infants are not able to cope with many simultaneous sources
of stimuli
The infant <32 gestation weeks who is experiencing a disorganised
autonomic nervous system will become pale, dusky or cyanotic
At <35 weeks gestation age motor development may interfere with
physiologic homeostasis resulting in
Vomiting, change of colour, apnoea and bradycardia
the infant has more defined states –sleep, crying, awake
At term gestation, the infant is able to maintain alertness, interact
with objects and cope with external stress
14. Dark, quiet and warm
The developmental appropriate approach should
include environmental manipulation like light, noise,
positioning, positive touch and pain management
This is a place where the preterm infant is deprived of
the normal stimuli that it should experience
Instead they suffer sensory bombardment like:
intrusive procedures, sleep disturbances and
deprivation
15. The environment and homeostasis
The ICU is a place where a preterm infant is deprived of
the normal stimuli that it should experience.
Instead, the infant suffers sensory bombardment: noise,
light, tactile stimulation, intrusive procedures, multiple
care givers and sleep disturbance and deprivation.
No infant should receive ‘routine care’.
Give care according to signals given by the infant
16. What is considered care
Our present NICU care practices, marked by persistent scheduled and
unintended, disturbances of infant sleep
Are inattentive to preservation of sleep, and at worst overtly comprises
optimal sleep cycles, with potential disruption of normal brain
development
The presence of normal sleep organization in the preterm infant may
have prognostic significance for neuro-developmental outcome.
Normal sleep cycles, with a predominance of REM sleep, are necessary
for early brain development
Recommendations: promote strategies that preserve newborn sleep
HGH is released by the brain into he blood stream during sleep
17. Intrusive procedures
HCP lack knowledge about the newborn’s ability to feel pain,
inadequately trained in pain assessment techniques, effective Rx and
prevention strategies, and fear S/E of analgesics.
Preterm infants undergo frequent painful experiences during NICU
stay.
Analgesia for specific procedures:
1. Non-pharmacological: pacifier use, sucrose admininstration, swaddling etc
2. Topical anaesthesia (lidocaine spray)
3. Paracetamol
4. Slow iv infusion of opiods e.g morphine
5. S/c lidocaine
6. Deep sedation
18. Pain background
Pain control and prevention have been underutilised
in neonates because of the ff misconceptions:
Their pain pathways are unmyelinated or otherwise
immature and cannot transmit painful stimuli
No alternative for verbal self-report
Newborn infants are at greater risk for developing the
adverse effects of analgesia or sedative agents, or
these drugs have adverse long term effects on brain
development or behaviour
However both term and preterm infants experience pain
and stress in response to noxious stimuli
19. analgesics
Most effective method to reduce
neonatal pain is to reduce the no.
Of procedures and episode of
patient handling
Nonphamarcological are more
effective when used in
combination
Non-nutritive sucking: patients
have lower increase in HR, and
decreased duration of crying in
response to painful stimuli
compared to no intervention
Swaddling or facilitated tucking
Systemic analgesia
NSAIDS: reluctance of use in
infants because of S/E e.g GI
bleeding, platelet dysfunction,
decreased GFR
Morphine: most commonly
used in neonates
It improves ventilator
synchrony and sedate
Fentanyl: rapid analgesia with
minimal hemodynamic effects
Fentanyl is associated with
less sedative effects, effects
on GI motility etc
20. Let there be Light?
A preterm’s ability to protect their eyes is complicated by
their physiologic immaturity.
Infants with no pupillary reflex had a larger pupillary
diameter, therefore receives a large retinal light dose than
older counterparts.
Bright light may have a damaging effect on the development
of the immature visual system
Constant light may keep the infants from opening their eyes
and looking around, preventing exploration and interaction
Constant light may slow normal development of sleep wake
cycle.
Bright light disrupts the release of growth hormone, which is
enhanced with cycling lighting, resulting in altered infant
growth
22. Positioning, nesting and handling
Because of the fragility of preterm infants, most NICU have
adopted a minimal handling and stimulation approach for very
immature infants
The most effective breathing and oxygenation in preterm with
lung disease is the prone position
In-utero the fetus is confined to an enclosed space with well-
defined boundaries to support development of physiological
flexion
The boundaries allow fetus to extend his arms and legs meet
resistance and subsequently recoil his extremities into gentle
flexed position
This physiological flexion is necessary for development of
normal posture movement control
23. Nesting recommendations
Provide boundaries that will maintain and encourage flexion,
allowing the infant room for extension
Provide covering and light swaddling to comfort the infant
Use soft mattresses to support the infant’s head and
reposition frequently to avoid flattening of the head.
Utilise prone and side lying positions whenever possible
24. Environmental noise
Exposure to noise in the NICU has the potential to affect
neonatal auditory development, sleep patterns and
physiological stability, thus impacting on developmental
progress
Noise exposure has the potential to influence the process of
neural organisation, reinforcing inappropriate neural pathways
and placing the neonate at risk of auditory processing
disorders and future learning disabilities
The majority of noise sources identified were human
generated
Minimising these need strategies like: decrease the levels of
staff conversation, turning down volumes of telephones and
alarms etc
25. Effects of environmental noise
Hearing impairment (from exposure of immature cochlea to loud
noise)
Sudden loud sounds may initiate startles, signs of autonomic
instability and state disruption
May include: apnoea, bradycardia, colour changes, desaturations in
response to loud sounds
Quality of sleep and alert state may be affected by noise
Prematurely born infants experience anxiety due to certain types
of sound (high pitched noises)
Recommendations:
Position conversations and cell phones away from bedside
Softly open and close incubators
Utilize “quiet” signs raise staff and parent awareness to control
environmental noise
Respond rapidly to alarms or crying infants
26. Take home message
Remember it is the family who will take the infant home
There is no doubt that one of the most effective
Neurodevelopmental interventions in NICU is to promote
family involvement and guidance regarding
Neurodevelopmental support.
Pain occurs routinely in the NICU and its control is an
important clinical goal
This is an evolving science, with only partial answers that
demand further questions
27. References and
acknowledgements
Assessment of neonatal pain: uptodate 2012
Prevention and treatment of neonatal pain: uptodate 2012
Neurodevelopmental care in the NICU: Susan Aucott;
Euwood division of Neonatology; The John Hopkins
University School of Medicine
Journal of Perinatology; Neurodevelopment of Infants in
NICU: WF Liu et al
Dr Sihlangu
Neurodevelopmental care, which is any NICU intervention undertaken to improve neurodevelopmental outcome
The preterm infant faces survival difficulties because some subsystems have already been activated and function efficiently in-utero, while others necessary to function extra-uterine have not yet matured and are not yet ready to function.
NICU environment has adverse developmental effects resulting from prolonged diffuse sleep states and unattended crying, supine positioning, routine and excessive handling, ambient noise, lack of opportunity for sucking and poorly timed social and caregiving interactions.
Short term morbidity includes the need for respiratory support, lung conditions
(respiratory distress, apnoea), feeding challenges, poor weight gain, and a long stay
in the NICU, as well as poor state regulation (Sehgal & Stack, 2006:1009). Long term
morbidity may include retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), intra-ventricular haemorrhage (IVH) which may result in later disabilities such as minor neurological injuries, cerebral palsy or learning problems, long term chronic lung disease and sensory impairments.
This care is provided from birth until the preterm infant reaches the date on which she would have been born
Immature neurons migrate to the cortex, develop dendrites, synapses and finally myelin
90 dB sound in a mid-range frequency would be decreased to 45 dB by the time it reaches the fetus.
Recommendations: establish a neonatal pain control programme:
Routine assessment for detecting pain, reduce the number of painful procedures, prevent/reduce acute pain from invasive procedures performed by the bedside.
Effective measures to reduce, control or prevent pain in newborns include:
preemptive analgesia for any anticipated painful procedure, elimination of unnecessary painful procedures, active involvement of parents in helping their baby cope with the procedure
Non-nutritive suck facilitates development of nutritive sucking and promote feeding tolerance. Ass with increased weight gain and oxygen saturation and decreased crying.
KMC: promotes neurobehavioral development, improves newborn state organisation and perceptual and cognitive motor development. Infants demonstrate more mature sleep patterns.
Neonatal response to pain include autonomic (HR,BP), hormonal (cortisol and catecholamine response) and behavioural changes (facial grimaces, crying etc)
Accurate pain assessment in the neonate remain a challenge because of inability to self-report.
Tools commonly used: CRIES(Crying, Requires oxygen saturation, Increased vital signs, Expression, Sleeplessness), NIPS (Neonatal Infant Pain Scale)
Cluster care: time routine medical interventions with other procedures like diaper change or suctioning
Nonpharmacological include: oral sucrose, non-nutritive sucking, sensorial saturation: touch, voice, massage etc
Swaddling: restricting movement of an infant’s limbs activates proprioceptive, tactile and thermal systems; facilitating self-soothing behaviors
As a result of the S/E: NSAIDS are not used and safer agents are rather used: Morphine
Neonatal pain and stress may alter the regulation of cortisol secretion in preterm infants. This may contribute to greater risk of impaired neurodeveloment and poor attention.
Pupillary light reflex which controls the amount of light entering the eye, correlates with gestational age. Infants &lt;30/40 have no pupilary reflex.
Recomendations: reduce light levels at nightto promote development of diurnal cycles, turn off lights that are not in use, employ the use of screens to shield infants in incubators adjacent to those in phototherapy, utilize individual spot lights for procedures or closer observation
Repositioning the infant is an effective method for treating apnoea of prematurity
The position the infant is in, affects the way they respond to the world (attention-interaction subsystem), affects the way their body works (autonomic subsystem), also affects the way they move and the way they grow(motor subsystem)
When positioning prone:
keep head in neutral position/with chin tucked slightly towards the chest, to avoid hyperextension of the neck, allow hands to be in close proximity with the face
When positioning the infant side-lying: provide support so that the back is slightly rounded, keep the head in the midline.
When placed in supine: encourage knee and hip flexion, provide support behind the shoulder to keep them slightly forward. Keep head in the midline
Utilize aids to achieve optimal positioning such as nests, blankets etc
Development of the sensory system occurs in a sequential order, with hearing and vision developing last, these senses may be underdeveloped in premature neonates, yet they receive the most input in the NICU. Auditory maturation occurs by 30-32/40
Strategies to minimise human generated noise levels are simple and need not to involve major costs.
Decreasing sound and light for 12 hours at night resulted in improved weight gain and increased sleeping time
Although NICU provide the multidisciplinary support that vulnerable infants need, the high levels of stimulation in these environments place many neonates at risk of developing a range of long-term complications e.g. CP, cognitive impairment, hearing losses, visual impairment, behavioural disorders etc. There is a need to therefore identify and evaluate environmental stressors in NICU, and develop protocols to minimise exposure to them.