Lara Liszka1, Joan Smith2, Amit Mathur3, Bradley L Schlaggar4, Graham Colditz5, Roberta Pineda6. 1. Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States of America. 2. Division of Quality, Safety and Practice Excellence, Saint Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, United States of America. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, United States of America. 4. Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States of America. 5. Public Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States of America; Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, United States of America. 6. Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, United States of America. Electronic address: pineda_r@kids.wustl.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To date, no study has compared preterm and full term auditory environments. AIM: To define differences in auditory exposure for preterm infants at term equivalent age in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) compared to auditory exposure in hospital rooms on a labor and delivery ward after full term birth. STUDY DESIGN: Ninety-eight infants (48 preterm infants born 28 weeks gestation in the NICU at term equivalent age and 50 full term infants in a hospital room on the labor and delivery ward within 4 days of birth) had auditory exposure measured over a single 16-hour period using the Language Environment Acquisition (LENA) device. RESULTS: More language (p < 0.001) was observed on the labor and delivery ward than in the NICU, with an average of 3.3 h more language in a 16-hour period and an average of 14,110 more words spoken around infants in a 16-hour period on the labor and delivery ward (p < 0.001). More electronic sounds were observed in the NICU, with an average of 2.3 h more in the 16-hour period (p < 0.001). The average decibel level in the NICU was lower than in the hospital rooms on the labor and delivery ward (57.16 ± 2.30 dB, compared to 63.31 ± 2.22 dB; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The NICU auditory environment for preterm infants is different than the auditory environment for full term infants, with less language, more electronic sounds, and quieter stimuli. This understanding can aid in developing appropriate interventions that enhance positive forms of auditory exposures.
BACKGROUND: To date, no study has compared preterm and full term auditory environments. AIM: To define differences in auditory exposure for preterm infants at term equivalent age in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) compared to auditory exposure in hospital rooms on a labor and delivery ward after full term birth. STUDY DESIGN: Ninety-eight infants (48 preterm infants born 28 weeks gestation in the NICU at term equivalent age and 50 full term infants in a hospital room on the labor and delivery ward within 4 days of birth) had auditory exposure measured over a single 16-hour period using the Language Environment Acquisition (LENA) device. RESULTS: More language (p < 0.001) was observed on the labor and delivery ward than in the NICU, with an average of 3.3 h more language in a 16-hour period and an average of 14,110 more words spoken around infants in a 16-hour period on the labor and delivery ward (p < 0.001). More electronic sounds were observed in the NICU, with an average of 2.3 h more in the 16-hour period (p < 0.001). The average decibel level in the NICU was lower than in the hospital rooms on the labor and delivery ward (57.16 ± 2.30 dB, compared to 63.31 ± 2.22 dB; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The NICU auditory environment for preterm infants is different than the auditory environment for full term infants, with less language, more electronic sounds, and quieter stimuli. This understanding can aid in developing appropriate interventions that enhance positive forms of auditory exposures.
Authors: Roberta Pineda; Jessica Roussin; Jenny Kwon; Elizabeth Heiny; Graham Colditz; Joan Smith Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2021-03-22 Impact factor: 2.125