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Review
. 2021 Apr 25;8(5):334.
doi: 10.3390/children8050334.

Sensory Stimulation in the NICU Environment: Devices, Systems, and Procedures to Protect and Stimulate Premature Babies

Francesco Massimo Vitale  1 , Gaetano Chirico  2 , Carmen Lentini  3
Affiliations
Review

Sensory Stimulation in the NICU Environment: Devices, Systems, and Procedures to Protect and Stimulate Premature Babies

Francesco Massimo Vitale et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Prematurity deprives infants of the prenatal sensory stimulation essential to their correct development; in addition, the stressful environment of the NICU impacts negatively on their growth. The purpose of this review was to investigate the effects of NICU noise pollution on preterm infants and parents. We focused on the systems and projects used to control and modulate sounds, as well as on those special devices and innovative systems used to deliver maternal sounds and vibrations to this population. The results showed beneficial effects on the preterm infants in different areas such as physiological, autonomic, and neurobehavioral development. Although most of these studies highlight positive reactions, there is also a general acknowledgement of the current limits: small and heterogeneous groups, lack of structured variable measurements, systematic control groups, longitudinal studies, and normative values. The mother's presence is always preferred, but the use of music therapy and the devices analyzed, although not able to replace her presence, aim to soften her absence through familiar and protective stimuli, which is a very powerful aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Babybe; Babyleo; MAMI VOiCE; NICU; Neoasis; PAL® (Pacifier Activated Lullaby System); Vocalisation; music and music therapy; parent–infant interaction; soundscape.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Neoasis™ system: on the left is the control unit with the external noise sensor, in the center are the speakers and the internal noise sensor, on the right is the additional “outside” noise sensor. http://www.invictusmed.com/neoasis/ (accessed on 6 February 2021).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The Babyleo® TN500. https://www.draeger.com/it_it/Hospital/Products/Thermoregulation-and-Jaundice-Management/Neonatal-Closed-Care/Draeger-Babyleo-TN500 (accessed on 6 February 2021).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The Pacifier Activated Lullaby System. https://www.nurseshow.com/?filename=pacifier-activated-lullaby-system-a-real-PAL®-for-premature-babies (accessed on 6 February 2021).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Babybe® system. https://www.connect-medizintechnik.at/downloads/babybe-system-complete.pdf (accessed on 8 February 2021).
Figure 5
Figure 5
MAMI VOiCE system. In this figure we can see the amplifier attached to the incubator with a simple strap closure; it is then connected through a cable to the vibro-transducer on top.
Figure 6
Figure 6
A 3D render by the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/effectiveness-of-infant-apnea-prevention-technology-demonstrated-in-clinical-trial/ (accessed on 8 February 2021).
Figure 7
Figure 7
The stimulation device and the “puck”. A: small vibrating disks which are taped to the skin over proprioceptive fibers as in the figure on the right on the hand (or foot), B: a stimulation device, containing a low voltage battery that powers the vibration motor through flexible cables. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0157349 (accessed on 6 February 2021).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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