A multidisciplinary approach to the implementation of non-pharmacological strategies to manage infant pain

Hills E., Rosenberg J., Banfield N., Harding C. A multidisciplinary approach to the implementation of non-pharmacological strategies to manage infant pain. Infant 2020; 16(2): 78-81. 1. Newborn infants are capable of experiencing pain. 2. Infants requiring specialist hospital care are likely to experience painful medical procedures. 3. Unmanaged pain has a long-lasting impact on an infant’s behaviour and physiological status

Impact of the Nursing Home Visit to the newborn/ infant/family

Objective: To identify the impact of the home visit to the newborn/infant/family, when performed by nurses, on the health and well-being of the child and family. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature was carried out following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, based on a research on the EBSCO and pubmed platform, and bibliographical references of the articles found, with the chronological frieze 2010 and 2017. Were included Randomized controlled trials evaluating the impact of the home visit of nursing performed when they were newborns/infants, in the health and wellbeing of the child and family, in children/adolescents/families. Results: We selected 11 articles, randomized controlled trials, 7 experimental and 4 follow-up. The data systematization process was carried out using tables that facilitated the analysis of the studies. We have found studies that evaluate the impact of the home visit to the newborn/infant/family in the short (2) and long (9) term, developed with great heterogeneity in the intervention of the home visit performed and evaluated impacts, but the results show gains in the well-being of children and families. Conclusions: It is evident from the results found that the home visit of the newborn/ infant/family, performed by nurses, has a positive impact on the health and well-being of the child and the family

Parents’ Knowledge of Danger Signs and Health Seeking Behavior in Newborn and Young Infant Illness in Tiro Afeta District, Southwest Ethiopia: A Community-based Study

BACKGROUND: Neonatal mortality rates in Ethiopia are among the highest in the world. Reducing neonatal and young infant mortality highly relies on early recognition of symptoms and appropriate care-seeking behavior of parents/care givers. The main aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of danger signs and health seeking behavior of parents/care givers in newborn and young infant illness in Southwest Ethiopia.METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling technique to get 422 samples of parents/care givers who had infants of less than 6 month old. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to identify factors affecting care seeking behavior and knowledge of parents/care givers on newborn and young infant illness.RESULT: Care seeking behavior for newborn and young infant illness was high (83%), the major factor associated with care seeking behavior being place of delivery. Only less than half of the respondents had adequate knowledge of symptoms of illness of newborns and young infants. The major factors associated with knowledge of parents/care givers were maternal education and  paternal education.CONCLUSIONS: To improve the knowledge of parents/care giversabout newborn and young infant illness, counseling about the major symptoms of newborn and young infant illness should be intensified.KEYWORDS: Neonatal illness, care seeking behavior, new born,knowledg

THE DIFFERENCES OF NEWBORN WEIGHT INFANT TOWARD SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHES INFECTION IN PREGNANCY

Introduction: Maternal nutrition status before and during pregnancy has affect toward intersuterine growth. This research aimed to differences of newborn weight infant toward soil transmitted helminthes infection with uninfected. Method: This research is observational research with cross sectional approach. Samples in this research took with consecutive sampling, total samples in this research were 50 people. Instrument of the research used questionnaires, enterotest, baby scale. Processing and analysis data used independent t test. Conclusion: There were differences of newborn weight infant in mothers infected of soil transmitted Helminthes (0,046). Keywords: Soil transmitted helminthes infection, newborn weight infant

Community-based Approach to Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria in Pregnancy in Kisumu, Kenya

Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a significant contributor to maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. In malaria-endemic countries, especially those in tropical areas of Africa where there is intense transmission of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), malaria infection directly contributes to adverse outcomes in maternal and newborn health. An estimated 11% of neonatal deaths in malariaendemic African countries are due to low birth weight resulting from P. falciparum infections in pregnancy. According to the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Initiative, malaria accounts for over 10,000 maternal and between 75,000 and 200,000 infant deaths per year in Africa. Prevention of MiP is thus a key public health intervention

The influence of infant irritability on maternal sensitivity in a sample of very premature infants

The relationship between maternal sensitivity and infant irritability was investigated in a short-term longitudinal study of 29 very preterm infants. Infant irritability was assessed at term with the Brazelton NBAS, the Mother and Baby Scales (MABS) and the Crying Pattern Questionnaire (CPQ). Maternal sensitivity was assessed by nurses' ratings in the neonatal care unit and at three months during motherinfant interaction observation. Cross-lagged panel analysis indicated that neonatal irritability did not influence sensitivity at 3 months nor did maternal sensitivity in the newborn period lead to reduced irritability at 3 months. Both irritability and maternal sensitivity showed moderate stability over time (r=.55 and r=.60, respectively). It is concluded that in early infancy maternal sensitivity shows little influence on infant irritability in very preterm infants

Mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth

Objectives. To study mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth, namely factors (socio-demographics, previous life events, type of delivery, pain at childbirth, support from partner, infant characteristics, early experiences with the newborn, and mother’s mood) that interfere with the mother’s positive, negative and not clear emotions toward the newborn. Methods. The Bonding Scale (an extended Portuguese version of the ‘New Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale’) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were administrated during the first after delivery days to 315 mothers recruited at Ju´lio Dinis Maternity Hospital (MJD, Porto, Portugal). Results. A worse emotional involvement with the newborn was observed when the mother was unemployed, unmarried, had less than grade 9, previous obstetrical/psychological problems or was depressed, as well as when the infant was female, had neonatal problems or was admitted in the intensive care unit. Lower total bonding results were significantly predicted when the mother was depressed and had a lower educational level; being depressed, unemployed and single predicted more negative emotions toward the infant as well. No significant differences in the mother-to-infant emotional involvement were obtained for events related to childbirth, such as type of delivery, pain and partner support, or early experiences with the newborn; these events do not predict mother’s bonding results either. Conclusion. The study results support the need for screening and supporting depressed, unemployed and single mothers, in order to prevent bonding difficulties with the newborn at birth.We would like to thank the mothers that participated in this study. This research was supported by a grant from the Human Development and Health Service of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Ref.48914) and a grant from the Bial Foundation (Ref.58/02)

What do we really know about newborn infant pain?

Increased awareness of pain in the newborn has led to the development of numerous assessment tools for use in neonatal intensive care units. Here, I argue that we still know too little about the neurophysiological basis for infant pain to interpret data from clinical observational measures. With increased understanding of how the neural activity and CNS connections that underlie pain behaviour and perception develop in the newborn will come better measurement and treatment of their pain. This review focuses upon two interconnected nociceptive circuits, the spinal cord dorsal horn and the somatosensory cortex in the brain, to highlight what we know and what we do not know about infant pain. The effectiveness of oral sucrose, widely used in clinical practice to relieve infant pain, is discussed as a specific example of what we do not know. This ‘hot topic review’ highlights the importance of new laboratory-based neurophysiological research for the treatment of newborn infant pain

The Emergence of Human Consciousness: From Fetal to Neonatal Life

A simple definition of consciousness is sensory awareness of the body, the self, and the world. The fetus may be aware of the body, for example by perceiving pain. It reacts to touch, smell, and sound, and shows facial expressions responding to exter- nal stimuli. However, these reactions are probably preprogrammed and have a subcortical nonconscious origin. Furthermore, the fetus is almost continuously asleep and unconscious partially due to endog- enous sedation. Conversely, the newborn infant can be awake, exhibit sensory awareness, and process memorized mental representations. It is also able to differentiate between self and nonself touch, express emotions, and show signs of shared feelings. Yet, it is unreflective, present oriented, and makes little reference to concept of him/herself. Newborn infants display features characteristic of what may be referred to as basic consciousness and they still have to undergo considerable maturation to reach the level of adult consciousness. The preterm infant, ex utero, may open its eyes and establish minimal eye contact with its mother. It also shows avoidance reactions to harmful stimuli. However, the thalamocortical connections are not yet fully established, which is why it can only reach a minimal level of consciousness