Application of tactile/kinesthetic stimulation in preterm infants

4^th International Conference on Nursing & Healthcare

October 05-07, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Vanessa Pepino

University of Campinas, Brazil

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Preterm infants are exposed daily too many stressors in the neonatal intensive care unit inherent to the critical care they need to survive. It has already been shown that this exposure can affect its development, language, social-emotional and adaptive-behavior. Tactile stimulation sometimes associated with kinesthetic stimulation has been the object of clinical studies since the 1960s and is used in preterm infants along with the standard clinical treatment. Tactile stimulation has advantages of being non invasive and a relatively inexpensive technique; generally some kind of benefit such as faster weight gain, shorter hospital stay and better behavior among others was reported by studies that used this technique in preterm infants. Tactile stimulation seems to represent a potential tool to improve preterm health. The differences and similarities between the methods were reviewed in clinical trials and were highlighted in an attempt to improve the methodological quality of future trials.

Biography :

Vanessa Pepino has graduated in Physiotherapy by Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas in 2002 and pos graduate in Osteopathy by Madrid School of Osteopathy in 2007. She has completed her Master at the age of 33 years from Campinas State University (UNICAMP). She is currently a doctoral student at UNICAMP in the program of "Child and Adolescent Health"

Email: vanpepino@yahoo.com