Prolonged exposure to a visual pattern may promote behavioral organization in preterm infants.
The article reports a study documenting preterm infants' responses to visual patterns placed in their incubators in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the effects of long-term exposure to the patterns. In the first experiment, 20 preterm infants were exposed to a visual pattern in two conditions, stationary and rotating, during two successive exposure periods. Regardless of condition, the majority of infants looked longer at the visual display during the second exposure period and experienced decreased heart rates and quiet, alert states. In a second experiment, visual patterns placed in 9 preterm infants' incubators on transfer to the intermediate side of the NICU remained in the incubator until discharge. An additional 9 infants served as controls. Infants exposed to the visual patterns experienced fewer state changes and stronger visual skills than infants in incubators without visual displays. These findings, although tentative because of the relatively small sample sizes, suggest that visual patterns may promote behavioral organization and visual skills in preterm infants.
Department of Near Environments, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA.
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Marshall-Baker
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Lickliter
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Cooper
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D017283:Neonatal Nursing; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000254:growth & development*