All beginnings are difficult — Possibilities of Occupational Therapy Services with Preterm Infants in Neonatology in Germany

In neonatology the preterm infants’ quality of life and the stimulation of their development are increasingly discussed. This article based on a bachelor thesis investigated the possibilities of occupational therapy services for preterm infants in neonatology in Germany.

Five occupational therapists working in neonatology were interviewed and the results were evaluated with qualitative analysis.

The portrayed results are subdivided into necessary expertise (skills, tasks, knowledge/assets, challenge), occupational therapy process (assessment, goal setting, treatment) and interacting factors respectively institutional conditions of the occupational therapy work in neonatology.

The special needs and environment of preterm infants require optimal coordination of therapy with a variety of treatment modalities. The occupational therapist needs a variety of expertise for the miscellaneous scope of duties such as encouraging the infant's perception and development or instructing parents and nursing staff. This is an exciting challenge for occupational therapy.