title: Support to mothers of premature babies using NIDCAP method: a non-randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) is based on preterm infant's observation during hospitalization and considers infant's behavior as the key to evaluate the level of neurobehavioral maturation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of NIDCAP program on mother's support and infant development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-randomized controlled study, including 43 infants of 32 weeks gestation receiving either a Standard Care (SC) or NIDCAP assessment. The Nurse Parent Support Tool (NPST) was given to mothers before discharge to evaluate the support given by NICU staff. Infants' motor, visual and auditory development was investigated by a neurofunctional assessment (NFA) at term and at 3 months. The effect of NIDCAP assessment on length of hospital stay and feeding status at discharge were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mothers in the NIDCAP group awarded higher scores in the majority of the NPST items than mothers in the SC group. NFA at term resulted to be normal in a significant higher percentage of infants that underwent NIDCAP, while no difference could be detected at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NIDCAP is an effective program to promote mothers' involvement in infants' care, that, in turn, could endorse infants' neurofunctional development in the short term.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, S.I.T.R.A. Basic Education Sector, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: patrizio.sannino@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sannino
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: maria.gianni@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Maria Lorella
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: giovanna.debon@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Bon
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: camilla.fontana@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: odoardo.picciolini@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Odoardo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Picciolini
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: laura.plevani@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plevani
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: monica.fumagalli@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, Via San Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: dario.consonni@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Consonni
authors.affiliation: NICU, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.mosca@mangiagalli.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: NIDCAP; Neonatal intensive care unit; Preterm infants