Biomaterial Database

Developmental care in the newborn intensive care unit. 1998

H Als

Children's Hospital, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, Boston, MA 02146, USA.

Developmental care is a framework that encompasses all care procedures as well as social and physical aspects in the newborn intensive care unit. Its goal is to support each individual infant to be as stable, well-organized, and competent as possible. The infant's physiologic and behavioral expression of current functioning is seen as the reliably available guide for caregivers to estimate the infant's current strengths, vulnerabilities, and thresholds to disorganization; to identify the infant's own strategies and efforts in collaborating toward best progress; and to implement care in a way that enhances the infant's stability and competence. The family is understood to be the infant's primary coregulator. It is the caregivers' responsibility to maximize opportunities to enhance each infant's and family's strengths and reduce apparent stressors. Studies of the effectiveness of developmental care also identify implications for staff education and challenges for nursery-wide implementation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D007363	Intensive Care Units, Neonatal	Hospital units providing continuing surveillance and care to acutely ill newborn infants.	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Neonatal Intensive Care Units,Newborn Intensive Care Unit,Newborn Intensive Care Units,ICU, Neonatal,Neonatal ICU,Newborn ICU,Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU),ICU, Newborn,ICUs, Neonatal,ICUs, Newborn,Neonatal ICUs,Newborn ICUs
D012121	Respiration, Artificial	Any method of artificial breathing that employs mechanical or non-mechanical means to force the air into and out of the lungs. Artificial respiration or ventilation is used in individuals who have stopped breathing or have RESPIRATORY INSUFFICIENCY to increase their intake of oxygen (O2) and excretion of carbon dioxide (CO2).	Ventilation, Mechanical,Mechanical Ventilation,Artificial Respiration,Artificial Respirations,Mechanical Ventilations,Respirations, Artificial,Ventilations, Mechanical
D002657	Child Development	The continuous sequential physiological and psychological maturing of an individual from birth up to but not including ADOLESCENCE.	Infant Development,Development, Child,Development, Infant
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015931	Intensive Care, Neonatal	Continuous care and monitoring of newborn infants with life-threatening conditions, in any setting.	Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care,Neonatal Intensive Care,Care, Neonatal Intensive
D017028	Caregivers	Persons who provide care to those who need supervision or assistance in illness or disability. They may provide the care in the home, in a hospital, or in an institution. Although caregivers include trained medical, nursing, and other health personnel, the concept also refers to parents, spouses, or other family members, friends, members of the clergy, teachers, social workers, fellow patients.	Family Caregivers,Informal Caregivers,Spouse Caregivers,Care Givers,Carers,Care Giver,Caregiver,Caregiver, Family,Caregiver, Informal,Caregiver, Spouse,Caregivers, Family,Caregivers, Informal,Caregivers, Spouse,Carer,Family Caregiver,Informal Caregiver,Spouse Caregiver