Early Intervention for Premature Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Each year, 14.9 million children are born prematurely all over the world. Preterm infants are at greater risk of mortality, morbidity, and lifespan sequelae. Early intervention in neonatal intensive care units is applied in order to minimize short-term and long-term consequences of prematurity. The aim of this article is to illustrate early intervention for children born prematurely in neonatal intensive care units as well as to present effectiveness of the most frequently used interventions, such as: Kangaroo Care, Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP), and music therapy (MT). Early intervention is very important because it not only provides a better chance for survival, but also offers the compensation of development opportunities. Kangaroo Care, NIDCAP and music therapy (MT) have positive effects for the child’s health, the parents’ perception, as well as the bond between them in the first year of life. Much research has shown significant positive effects of NICU’s early intervention on mortality and medical health. Previous studies have evidenced that Kangaroo Care, NIDCAP and MT influence children’s medical status, psychomotor development and parental attachment positively. With regard to the methodological quality of studies, some of the evidence was limited. Further studies are needed to confirm the obtained results and to examine longer-term therapeutic effects.