Effects of handling procedures on pain responses of very low birth weight infants.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of handling on pain responses of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW) and the frequency, duration, and type of handling procedures used during a 24-hour period for infants with VLBW.


METHODS
Eighteen infants with VLBW were observed for two-hour periods. Infants' pain responses were recorded using the Neonatal Inventory Pain Scale before and after each handling episode. Twelve infants were observed once, six were observed twice. Variables relating to each handling episode observed were documented.


RESULTS
Pain scores were significantly greater after handling. During a 24-hour period, infants were handled an average of 53 times for an average of 2.7 hours. Ten handling episodes included social touch.


CONCLUSIONS
Handling infants with VLBW significantly alters their pain responses. In some infants with VLBW are handled frequently in the neonatal intensive care unit. The results have implications for the training of neonatal caregivers.
Cameron
Emma Catherine
EC
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Raingangar
Veena
V
Khoori
Nawal
N
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation; D010146:Pain; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric