title: Effect of multisensory stimulation on neuromotor development in preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Auditory, Tactile, Visual and Vestibular stimulus (ATVV) on neuromotor development in preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty preterm infants born at 28-36 wk with a birth weight ranging from 1,000-2,000 g were recruited for the study. They were block randomized into a control group (n = 25) and study group (n = 25). New Ballard score was used for the baseline measurement of neuromaturity in both groups. In neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the study group received multisensory stimulation for 12 min per session, 5 sessions per wk along with routine NICU care either from 33 wk corrected gestational age for infants born at 28-32 wk or from 48 h of birth for infants born at 33-36 wk until discharge from the hospital. The control group received the routine NICU care. At term age the preterm infants were assessed using Infant Neurological International Battery (INFANIB) and the groups were compared using independent t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multisensory stimulated infants showed higher neuromotor score (p = 0.001) compared to the control group. The french angle components of INFANIB including heel to ear (p = 0.016) and popliteal angle (p = 0.001) were statistically significant between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multisensory stimulation appears to have a beneficial effect on the tonal maturation in preterm infants. However, further studies are warranted to investigate the long-term effects of multisensory stimulation on neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Parimala Suganthini
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kanagasabai
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Leslie Edward
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Asha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: Bhamini K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D019124:Therapeutic Touch; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology