Clonidine as Pain Relief During ROP Eye Examinations
Retinopathy of PrematurityPain2 morePreterm infants are at risk of developing ROP (retinopathy of prematurity), an eye condition that can cause blindness. Preterm infants born before gestation week (GA) 30 are therefor screened regularly with eye examinations. These eye examinations are painful and despite a lot of research no clear method of pain relief have been found. Since pain in the preterm infant can lead to both short- and longterm negative consequences an effective pain relief during these examinations are of importance. In this study we will investigate if Clonidine can be effective as pain-relief during ROP eye examinations.
Nasal Olfactory Stimulation and Its Effect on Respiratory Drive in Preterm Infants
Apnea of PrematurityPrematurity3 moreThis trial analyzes the effect of an olfactory stimulation with vanilla or strawberry aroma compared to placebo on desaturations and bradycardia in preterm infants with apnea of prematurity. Infants on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) support will be included and the aroma will be applied to the inner surface of the CPAP mask using designated scent pens. The trial uses a cross-over design. Infants are randomised to begin the study with either aroma or placebo which will be applied into the breathing mask every 3 to 4 hours during 12 hours for each of the two intervention periods. Identically looking pens with either aroma or placebo are used and patients, parents, medical staff and the study team are blinded to this allocation. Infants are monitored with an oximetry sensor to measure peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate.
Impact of Reading on Endogenous Oxytocin System of Preterm Infants
Premature Infant DiseaseDevelopment1 moreThe purpose of this study is to learn how early language exposure may be related to changes in DNA in parents and their premature infants. While a person's genetic code is determined at the time of conception, the way that some genes are expressed in the body can be changed even after an individual is born. These changes are called epigenetic changes. In this study, the investigators want to learn about the epigenetic changes that happen after a premature baby is born and whether a parent's interaction with their baby can influence these epigenetic changes. The investigators will look at epigenetic changes by collecting saliva samples from parents and their preterm babies, here defined as babies born at <33 weeks gestation. Specifically, the investigators will be looking at salivary levels of DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm). The investigators will track changes in OXTRm levels over time in parents and their babies and see if these levels change in relation to how much time parents spend with their babies and how much time they spend reading to their babies. The investigators will ask mothers and, if desired, their partners to read to their babies for at least 15 minutes per week. The investigators will ask them to track time spent with the baby and reading time on a log, and will also measure word count with a commercially-available LENA device. The investigators will use logistic regression analysis to identify the independent association between OXTR DNA methylation and time spent with parent(s) and word count.
Noninvasive High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation as a Post-extubation Respiratory Support in Neonates...
InfantPremature6 moreA randomized controlled trial comparing Noninvasive high frequency oscillatory ventilation (NHFOV) and Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) as post-extubation respiratory support in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome(RDS)
Routine Or Selective Application of a Face Mask for Preterm Infants at Birth: the ROSA Trial
InfantPremature6 moreInternational guidelines recommend giving positive pressure ventilation (PPV) by face mask to newborns who do not breathe or have a slow heart rate at birth. Preterm infants are at high risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and many are treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Though the majority of preterm infants breathe spontaneously at birth, many clinicians routinely apply a face mask to preterm infants shortly after birth in the delivery room (DR) to give them CPAP. However, applying a face mask may inhibit spontaneous breathing in newborns. In this study, premature babies will be randomly assigned to have a face mask routinely applied for CPAP shortly after birth; or to have a face mask selectively applied only for PPV if they are not breathing or have a slow heart beat in the first 5 minutes of life, or for CPAP if they have signs of respiratory distress after 5 minutes. The investigators will determine whether fewer participants who have the mask selectively applied receive PPV in the DR.
Pulmonary Function Using Non-invasive Forced Oscillometry
InfantPremature9 moreThe purpose of this observational study is to measure pulmonary function in term and preterm infants with and without pulmonary disease including respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, transient tachypnea of the newborn, meconium aspiration syndrome, and response to treatments given to newborn infants with lung diseases using a non-invasive airway oscillometry system.
Biobehavioral Efficacy of the Semi-Elevated Side-Lying Position
FeedingBottle5 moreThe objective of the proposed research is to conduct a within-subject cross-over trial that will compare the efficacy of the two bottle-feeding positions on physiologic and behavioral responses of preterm infants prior to, during, and after feeding. As an exploratory aim, the investigators will also identify potential infant characteristics associated with the intervention response by evaluating infant sex, maturity level, and/or comorbidity. The two bottle-feeding positions will be the semi-elevated side-lying position (hereafter referred to as side-lying position) and the semi-elevated supine position (hereafter referred to as supine position), which is the traditional feeding position when preterm infants are bottle-fed. The investigators hypothesize that compared to the supine position, the side-lying position will be associated with greater physiologic stability in heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and/or autonomic nervous system regulation during and after feeding. The investigators also hypothesize that compared to the supine position, the side-lying position will be associated with more mature patterns of suck-breathe coordination and/or greater feeding skills.
PREEMIE PROGRESS: A Family Management Program for Parents of Preterm Infants
Premature Infant DiseaseFamily Research7 moreThe purpose of this study is to refine and pilot test a mobile health (mHealth), video-based family management program for parents of preterm infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). By moving beyond the basic infant care tasks taught by parenting programs and instead comprehensively training parents to use evidence-based family management skills, we hypothesize that our intervention, called PREEMIE PROGRESS, will better equip parents to meet the chronic, complex healthcare needs of their preterm infant.
Optimising Ventilation in Preterms With Closed-loop Oxygen Control
InfantPremature3 moreMany premature infants require respiratory support in the newborn period. Mechanical ventilation although life-saving is linked to complications for the lungs and other organs and its duration should be kept to a minimum. The use of supplemental oxygen may also increase the risk of comorbidities such as retinopathy of prematurity. Therefore, oxygen saturation levels and the amount of inspired oxygen concentration provided should be continuously monitored. Oxygen control can be performed manually or with the use of a computer software incorporated into the ventilator that is called 'closed loop automated oxygen control'(CLAC). The software uses an algorithm that automatically adjusts the amount of inspired oxygen to maintain oxygen saturation levels in a target range. Evidence suggests that CLAC increases the time spent in the desired oxygen target range but there are no data to determine the effect on important clinical outcomes. A previous study has also demonstrated that CLAC reduces the inspired oxygen concentration more rapidly when compared to manual control. That could help infants come off the ventilator sooner. With this study we want to compare the time preterm infants spend on the ventilator when we use the software to automatically monitor their oxygen levels with those infants whose oxygen is adjusted manually by the clinical team. That could help us understand if the use of automated oxygen control reduces the duration of mechanical ventilation and subsequently the complications related to it.
The Effect of Lullaby and Breastmilk Smell on Preterm Newborns
PretermInfant4 moreThe goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of live lullaby from mother voice, and breast milk smell on pyhsiological parameters, comfort and maternal attachment levels of preterm newborns who are between 35-37 weeks of gestation at the time of the study and the level of pospartum depression of mothers. The main hypothesis are: H0: The live lullaby from mother voice and breast milk smell have no effects on pyhsiological parameters, comfort and maternal attachment levels of preterm newborns H1: The live lullaby from mother voice has effects on pyhsiological parameters, comfort and maternal attachment levels of preterm newborns H2: The breast milk smell has effects on pyhsiological parameters, comfort and maternal attachment levels of preterm newborns H3: There is differences between the live lullaby from mother voice and the breast milk smell interventions in terms of preterm newborns' physiological parameters, comfort and maternal attachment levels. H4: The postpartum depression level of mothers in experimental groups (lullaby group and breast milk group) is lower than the control group. Participants will be in three groups according to the interventions. The preterm newborns who are going to listen a live lullaby from their mothers' voice will be the first group (Lullaby group). The preterms in the second group (Breast milk group) are going to smell their mothers' breast milk. The preterms in the third group (Control group) are going to recieve rutin nursing care interventions.