Tactile stimulation and behavioral development among low-birthweight infants.
The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was administered to a group of premature infants both prior to and following a nursery program of enriched tactile stimulation. The same instrument was administered twice to a control group of prematures who received no intervening "extra" stimulation. Whereas control infants showed changes of 2 or more points on only 2 of the instrument's 26 scales, the experimental babies showed positive changes of 2 or more points on 11 scales. There were no difference in weight gain between the two groups.
D001143:Arousal; D001519:Behavior; D001835:Body Weight; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy