Effectiveness of Multimodal Sensory Stimulation in Improving Motor Outcomes of Preterm Infants

Preterm birth is defined as babies born alive at less than 37 weeks of gestation. Due to the lack of the in-vitro environment and their exposure to harmful environment of the NICU has led to the preterm infants having a long term disability. The awareness of environmental factors on development gave rise to the formation of early intervention program. Multimodal interventional strategies which primarily use touch, vision, sound, and movement stimulation has shown to have an immediate physiological effect. However, the long term effect of multimodal stimulation with proper dosage in improving the motor outcomes is not well established.

The current study aimed to analyse the effectiveness of multimodal sensory stimulation in improving the motor outcomes of the preterm infant at one month of corrected age

A quasi-experimental study (pre and post test design) was conducted in Sri Ramachandra Medical centre and Hospital. Preterm infants with GA of 28–36 weeks, who were medically stable and referred for early stimulation, were recruited in the study by convenient sampling. Baseline parameters were assessed using Hammersmith neurological scale, after which the mothers were counselled about age appropriate milestone development. They were then taught to perform touch, kinaesthetic, vision, auditory, vestibular and proprioceptive therapy under the guidance of the therapist. On discharge, a pamphlet was given to the mothers and were educated to continue the therapy. At one month of corrected age, the preterm infants were reassessed using HNE.

The result shows that mean pre-therapy and post-therapy values of the preterm group had a significant improvement.

Multimodal stimulation is effective in improving the motor outcomes of the preterm infants, at one month of corrected age.