Parents’ Perception of Family-Centered Music Therapy with Stable Preterm Infants

Premature birth places considerable demands on preterm infants and their families. Most of these infants are treated on a neonatal intensive care unit immediately after birth, leading to psychosocial stress for parents and making it more difficult to build a stable parent-child bond. We hypothesized that accompaniment with live music therapy by a music therapist supports the parents to get in contact with their child and to promote the parents’ wellbeing. Preterm infants born at less than 32 gestational weeks received creative music therapy twice a week until discharge. At the time of discharge, the parents were asked to complete a Likert-style questionnaire to evaluate the music therapy. Six items related to socio-demographic characteristics, 4 items to observations on the infant and 10 items to personal perception. Of 40 preterm infants receiving music therapy, 32 (80%) parents completed the questionnaires. Thirty (94%) of these parents were able to relax during the music therapy session. Relaxation in their infants was observed by 29 (91%) during and by 28 (88%) after music therapy. Parents perceived music therapy as a positive change and enrichment during their infant’s hospital stay. All parents were thankful for the music therapy they received. Music therapy supports the parents of preterm infants in the first time after birth until discharge from the hospital.

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Clinical observations of live improvisational harp music in neonatal intensive care

Music and Medicine ◽

10.47513/mmd.v10i2.497 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 63

Author(s):

Roxanne McLeod ◽

Kaye Spence

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Units ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Therapy Program ◽

Clinical Observations ◽

Live Music ◽

Experienced Nurse ◽

Therapy Sessions

The use of Music Therapy (MT) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) has received growing attention through an increasing body of research. MT research in NICUs have shown benefits in the use of both recorded and live music, a recent study has indicated that live music produces more beneficial outcomes in some domains, and is often perceived as more beneficial by parents. As part of the developmental program in a NICU, music therapy by a Registered Music Therapist was implemented for long-stay infants and their families. The live music therapy sessions using a Reverie Harp were simultaneously observed by a health professional who was a certified NIDCAP Professional. A series of infants were observed with music played to their individual responses. The behavioral observations and the responses to the music were consistent with supportive regulation by the infants. Music therapy specifically targeted at longer stay infants was shown to be calming and enabled the infants to regulate their behavior. A planned music therapy program for neonates and their parents in collaboration with an experienced nurse enables the identification of infants and their families who may benefit from the program. Key Words NICU, music therapy, live music, NIDCAP, Neonate

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Growth and identity of music therapy in the NICU: Pioneering perspectives

Music and Medicine ◽

10.47513/mmd.v13i2.802 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 84-90

Author(s):

Helen Shoemark ◽

Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre

Keyword(s):

Special Education ◽

Early Intervention ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Premature Birth ◽

Music Therapists ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Family Centered ◽

Core Issues ◽

Surgical Unit

This duoethnographic exploration expounds on the journeys of two women who pioneered music therapy in the NICUs in their respective countries. The dialogue uses their practice wisdom and research to illuminate core issues that have served the development of music as process and intervention for infants, families and those in the context of the NICU. They conclude with recommendations for the future.Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre (MNR): I was a musician and I worked in the theatre. The premature birth of my daughter in the 1970s, experiencing my own helplessness and that of my family and friends, all of this led my life in an unexpected new direction: to music therapy in the NICU. My overall goal was to promote both the infant’s development in connection with support of the mother’s resilience – because there is no development without bonding. Next step was to open NICUs in my country to music therapy, also to strengthen our NICU music therapists and helping to develop an international network. Throughout all these years Helen Shoemark has been my most important and valuable colleague.Helen Shoemark (HS): I was a music therapist working in special education and early intervention for 15 years before. I started the program in the NICU at the Royal Children’s Hospital in 1994, and grew the role of music therapy in the pediatric NICU/ Newborn Surgical Unit through my research. Because of my experience in family-centered early intervention, my focus in the NICU is on supporting the expressive capacities of both infant and parents. My other focus is in supporting clinicians develop programs that are ecologically situated, theoretically- informed, and pragmatically realistic. Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre was one of my earliest mentors, and I have always been inspired by the strength of her commitment, understanding, and support for the experience of the mothers in the NICU.

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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Journal of Visualized Experiments ◽

10.3791/60412 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Friederike B. Haslbeck ◽

Dirk Bassler

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Creative Music

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Music Therapy Self-Care Group for Parents of Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Clinical Pilot Intervention

Medicines ◽

10.3390/medicines5040134 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 134 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Esteban Roa ◽

Mark Ettenberger

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Self Care ◽

Care Group ◽

Anxiety Levels ◽

Family Centered

Background: The parents of preterm infants face major mental health challenges in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Family-centered music therapy actively integrates and empowers parents in their infants’ care. With the aim to better understand and address parental needs separately from their babies’ needs, a music therapy (MT) self-care group was implemented as part of clinical practice at the hospital Clínica de la Mujer, in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: The group was provided for both parents, twice a week, in the NICU. Music guided relaxations, breathing techniques, and self-expression were at the center of the MT group sessions. The parents completed a pre/post self-administered Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), including anxiety levels, stress levels, mood and motivation. Results: The parents highly valued the MT self-care group in the NICU. On average, there was a 37% improvement in anxiety levels, 28% improvement in stress levels, and 12% improvement in mood, restfulness and motivation. Being able to relax, to distract themselves from their worries and having time for themselves are amongst the most frequently mentioned benefits. Conclusions: Addressing parents’ needs separately from their babies’ treatment, with culturally sensitive interventions aimed at improving parental mental health, is essential for continuing the development of family-centered music therapy interventions in the NICU.

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Music Therapy Self-Care Group for Parents of Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): A Clinical Pilot Intervention

10.20944/preprints201811.0433.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Esteban Roa ◽

Mark Ettenberger

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Self Care ◽

Care Group ◽

Anxiety Levels ◽

Family Centered

Background: Parents of preterm infants face major mental health challenges in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Family-centered music therapy actively integrates and empowers parents in their infant’s care. With the aim to better understand and address parental needs separately from their babies’, a music therapy (MT) self-care group was implemented as part of clinical practice at the hospital Clínica de la Mujer in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: The group is provided for both parents twice a week in the NICU. Music guided relaxations, breathing techniques, and self-expression are at the center of the MT group sessions. Parents complete a pre/post self-administered Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) including anxiety levels, stress levels, mood and motivation. Results: Parents highly value the MT self-care group at the NICU. On average there is a 37% improvement in anxiety levels, 28% in stress levels, and 12% in mood, restfulness and motivation. Being able to relax, to distract themselves from their worries and having time for themselves are amongst the most frequently mentioned benefits. Conclusions: Addressing parents’ needs separately form their babies’ treatment with culturally sensitive interventions aimed to improve parental mental health, is essential for continuing the development of family-centered music therapy interventions in the NICU.

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Family-centered lactation counseling and breastfeeding in preterm infants upon neonatal intensive care discharge

Journal of Clinical Neonatology ◽

10.4103/jcn.jcn_167_20 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 95

Author(s):

Hakan Ongun ◽

Meltem Demir

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Family Centered

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Working With and Within Chaos

Voices A World Forum for Music Therapy ◽

10.15845/voices.v18i4.2588 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Helen Brenda Oosthuizen

Keyword(s):

Sex Offenders ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Community Music ◽

Music Therapist ◽

Support Programme ◽

Group Music Therapy ◽

Group Members ◽

Valuable Complement ◽

Context Specific ◽

First Time

The Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children, was initiated by the Teddy Bear Clinic (an NPO established to protect abused children) in South Africa in response to the increase of child-on-child offenders in this country. This short-term programme aims to offer holistic rehabilitation to first time young sex offenders and incorporates conventional diversion approaches alongside creative programmes, including group music therapy. Based on a review of my session notes, this paper considers challenges and positive developments I experienced over time as the programme’s music therapist from 2006 to 2016. Although I often experienced this work as chaotic, findings suggest that through co-creating a context-specific music therapy programme alongside group members, clinic staff and the broader community, music therapy has offered an increasingly relevant and valuable complement to the diversion programme. Continuing challenges within this work are also highlighted.

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Short-Term Outcomes following Standardized Admission of Late Preterm Infants to Family-Centered Care

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1694981 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan Reiss ◽

Pavan S. Upadhyayula ◽

Hyeri You ◽

Ronghui Xu ◽

Lisa M. Stellwagen

Keyword(s):

Preterm Infants ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Transitions Of Care ◽

Late Preterm ◽

Family Centered Care ◽

Short Term ◽

Late Preterm Infants ◽

Car Seat ◽

Centered Care ◽

Family Centered

Abstract Objective The study compares the short-term outcomes of late preterm infants (LPI) at an academic center in San Diego, California after a change in protocol that eliminated a previously mandatory 12-hour neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) observation period after birth. Study Design This is a retrospective observational study examining all LPI born with gestational age 35 to 366/7 weeks between October 1, 2016 and October 31, 2017. A total of 189 infants were included in the review. Short-term outcomes were analyzed before and after the protocol change. Results Transfers to the NICU from family-centered care (FCC) were considerably higher (23.2%) following the protocol change, compared to before (8.2%). More infants were transferred to the NICU for failed car seat tests postprotocol compared to preprotocol. Length of stay before the protocol change was 5.13 days compared to 4.80 days after. Conclusion LPI are vulnerable to morbidities after delivery and through discharge. We found an increase in failed car seat tests in LPI cared for in FCC after elimination of a mandatory NICU observation after birth. The transitions of care from delivery to discharge are key checkpoints in minimizing complications.

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