4 research outputs found
Light or Deep Pressure: Medical Staff Members Differ Extensively in Their Tactile Stimulation During Preterm Apnea
Background: Even though tactile stimulation is common practice to terminate preterm
apnea, the style and intensity of these interventions is not specified during theoretical or
practical training and has never been clinically evaluated.
Objective: The present study was designed to analyze the various modes of tactile
stimulation used to terminate preterm apnea and measure the pressure intensity and
frequency of these stimulations.
Methods: A model with the size and weight of an actual preterm infant was equipped
with sensor technology to measure stimulation pressure and frequency of tactile
stimulation. Additionally a camera system was used to record hand positions and
stimulation modes. Seventy medical staff members took part in the experiment.
Results: We found extreme between subjects differences in stimulation pressure that
could not be explained by professional experience but, to a degree, depended on apnea
intensity. Pressures ranged from 11.11 to 226.87 mbar during low intensity apnea and
from 9.89 to 428.15 mbar during high intensity apnea. The majority of participants
used rhythmic stimulation movements with a mean frequency of ∼1 Hz. Different modes
(rubbing, squeezing, tickling, and tapping) and finger positions were used.
Conclusion: Medical staff members intuitively adjust their tactile stimulation pressure
depending on the premature infants’ apnea intensity. However, mean pressure values
varied greatly between subjects, with similar pressure ranges for low and high intensity
apnea. The question remains which pressure intensities are necessary or sufficient for
the task. It is reasonable to assume that some stimulation types may be more effective
in rapidly terminating an apneic event
Self-touch: Contact durations and point of touch of spontaneous facial self-touches differ depending on cognitive and emotional load.
Every human being spontaneously touches its eyes, cheeks, chin and mouth manifold every day. These spontaneous facial self-touches (sFST) are elicited with little or no awareness and are distinct from gestures and instrumental acts. Self-touch frequency has been shown to be influenced by negative affect and attention distraction and may be involved in regulating emotion and working memory functions. Yet, even though self-touch research dates back several decades fundamental aspects, like the temporal progression of sFST or the effects of executing hand and touched face area, have not yet been analyzed. For the first time, the present study measured sFST temporal aspects to the millisecond using accelerometers and EMG. Spontaneous self-touch was triggered in sixty participants who completed a delayed memory task of complex haptic relief stimuli while listening to distracting aversive sounds. We found that while both hands were used equally often and with the same overall movement times and contact durations, significant effects occurred for face area in both frequency and contact durations. Ergo the point of touch seems to have some relevance of its own, independently of which hand is used to perform it. The results show that not only frequency but also the point of touch and contact durations are influenced by cognitive and emotional demands. We argue that investigating the fundamental characteristics of sFST will further the understanding of cognitive focusing and attentional mechanisms
Light or Deep Pressure: Medical Staff Members Differ Extensively in Their Tactile Stimulation During Preterm Apnea
Background: Even though tactile stimulation is common practice to terminate preterm
apnea, the style and intensity of these interventions is not specified during theoretical or
practical training and has never been clinically evaluated.
Objective: The present study was designed to analyze the various modes of tactile
stimulation used to terminate preterm apnea and measure the pressure intensity and
frequency of these stimulations.
Methods: A model with the size and weight of an actual preterm infant was equipped
with sensor technology to measure stimulation pressure and frequency of tactile
stimulation. Additionally a camera system was used to record hand positions and
stimulation modes. Seventy medical staff members took part in the experiment.
Results: We found extreme between subjects differences in stimulation pressure that
could not be explained by professional experience but, to a degree, depended on apnea
intensity. Pressures ranged from 11.11 to 226.87 mbar during low intensity apnea and
from 9.89 to 428.15 mbar during high intensity apnea. The majority of participants
used rhythmic stimulation movements with a mean frequency of ∼1 Hz. Different modes
(rubbing, squeezing, tickling, and tapping) and finger positions were used.
Conclusion: Medical staff members intuitively adjust their tactile stimulation pressure
depending on the premature infants’ apnea intensity. However, mean pressure values
varied greatly between subjects, with similar pressure ranges for low and high intensity
apnea. The question remains which pressure intensities are necessary or sufficient for
the task. It is reasonable to assume that some stimulation types may be more effective
in rapidly terminating an apneic event
Light or Deep Pressure: Medical Staff Members Differ Extensively in Their Tactile Stimulation During Preterm Apnea
Background: Even though tactile stimulation is common practice to terminate preterm
apnea, the style and intensity of these interventions is not specified during theoretical or
practical training and has never been clinically evaluated.
Objective: The present study was designed to analyze the various modes of tactile
stimulation used to terminate preterm apnea and measure the pressure intensity and
frequency of these stimulations.
Methods: A model with the size and weight of an actual preterm infant was equipped
with sensor technology to measure stimulation pressure and frequency of tactile
stimulation. Additionally a camera system was used to record hand positions and
stimulation modes. Seventy medical staff members took part in the experiment.
Results: We found extreme between subjects differences in stimulation pressure that
could not be explained by professional experience but, to a degree, depended on apnea
intensity. Pressures ranged from 11.11 to 226.87 mbar during low intensity apnea and
from 9.89 to 428.15 mbar during high intensity apnea. The majority of participants
used rhythmic stimulation movements with a mean frequency of ∼1 Hz. Different modes
(rubbing, squeezing, tickling, and tapping) and finger positions were used.
Conclusion: Medical staff members intuitively adjust their tactile stimulation pressure
depending on the premature infants’ apnea intensity. However, mean pressure values
varied greatly between subjects, with similar pressure ranges for low and high intensity
apnea. The question remains which pressure intensities are necessary or sufficient for
the task. It is reasonable to assume that some stimulation types may be more effective
in rapidly terminating an apneic event