Evaluating a Structured Multisensory Program to Support Development and Parent Well-being in Preterm Infants Born at or Before 32 Weeks

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying preterm infants born at or before 32 weeks gestation and their parents to improve health and well-being through a structured multisensory intervention program called Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences SENSE. This program aims to provide consistent, evidence-based sensory stimulation during the NICU stay, tailored to the infants developmental stage and medical condition, to support infant development and parent mental health. The study compares the SENSE program to standard care in a randomized, controlled design. The study enrolls 215 parent-infant pairs within one week of birth, randomly assigning infants to either receive the SENSE multisensory program or standard care during their NICU hospitalization. The SENSE program involves specific daily doses of tactile, auditory, visual, vestibular, and olfactory activities conducted by parents, supported by a sensory team when parents are unavailable. Standard care includes usual NICU practices without a targeted sensory intervention dose. Parent education and logs support adherence to the program. Participants will be monitored throughout the NICU stay with assessments of parent mental health, parent-child interaction, brain activity via amplitude integrated electroencephalography, and infant neurodevelopment at discharge, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years adjusted age. Various standardized developmental and behavioral tests will measure outcomes, focusing on language and overall development. The total study duration spans from birth through 2 years adjusted age, with ongoing data collection to evaluate the interventions effects.

Sensory Optimization of the Hospital Environment