Neurodevelopmental support and early intervention in NICU

Methods of routine care delivery affect outcomes for infants exposed to the lifesaving rigors of newborn intensive care. The vulnerable immature or sick infant responds to environmental and caretaking stressors with deleterious physiologic and behavioral effects which compromise physiologic stability and the attainment of target neuromotor, behavioral, and growth milestones. When care is structured to support the individual infant's physiologic stability and neurobehavioral organization, stress is reduced for that infant. Routines of intensive care should be altered and adapted based on specific observations of each infant's response to care giving and environmental stimuli. This article will briefly review the four major categories of interventions that nurses can incorporate into their daily care for the infant to help improve outcomes for the premature infant.