title: Decreasing sound and vibration during ground transport of infants with very low birth weight.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the effectiveness of modifications to reduce sound and vibration during interhospital ground transport of a simulated infant with very low birth weight (VLBW) and a gestational age of 30 weeks, a period of high susceptibility to germinal matrix and intraventricular hemorrhage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Researchers measured vibration and sound levels during infant transport, and compared levels after modifications to the transport incubator mattresses, addition of vibration isolators under incubator wheels, addition of mass to the incubator mattress and addition of incubator acoustic cover.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Modifications did not decrease sound levels inside the transport incubator during transport. The combination of a gel mattress over an air chambered mattress was effective in decreasing vibration levels for the 1368 g simulated infant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transport mattress effectiveness in decreasing vibration is influenced by infant weight. Modifications that decrease vibration for infants weighing 2000 g are not effective for infants with VLBW. Sound levels are not affected by incubator covers, suggesting that sound is transmitted into the incubator as a low-frequency vibration through the incubator's contact with the ambulance. Medical transportation can apply industrial methods of vibration and sound control to protect infants with VLBW from excessive physical strain of transport during vulnerable periods of development.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prehn
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McEwen
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jeffries
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goshorn
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D001513:Beds / Q000592:standards; D004867:Equipment Design; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant / Q000592:standards; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008348:Manikins; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects*