Costa, L. D., Dalmuth, K. H., Vieira, M. T. F., Girardi, E., Fachinello, G., Silva, Â. M. D., … & Perondi, A. R. (2023). Analysis of the development of children discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from parents’ point of view. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 76(5), e20220717 https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2022-0717
A total of 15 parents were recruited for this study although data from 13 parents were analysed and used in the final summary. These participants were parents to 16 children (one set of twins and one set of triplets) and all parents were asked about their child’s development. Data included demographic characteristics, medical information from hospital medical notes and parent opinions through semi -structured interviews. Few parents reported significant difficulties with physical development. Some parents mentioned specific cognitive problems such as memory. However, most parents reported concerns with their child’s speech development. The descriptions of the speech, language and communication difficulties experienced by the children is not clear and therefore this makes it difficult to understand fully the extend of the speech, language and communication difficulties and the language environment experiences the children were involved in.
Queiroz, M. A. D. S. D., Brasil, C. C. P., Pinheiro, J. A. M., Porto, A. C. L., Pacífico, W. T., Silva, R. M. D., … & Alegria, R. F. D. G. (2025). Mothers’ perceptions on interaction-communication with their preterm babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 30, e02192025 https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232025305.02192025EN
Although this study has been conducted in Brazil by Querioz et al., (2025), the authors identify that maternal knowledge and understanding of early language development is described as being “vague” with few examples of initiated language and communication experiences for infants receiving neonatal care. Data were collected from 30 mothers of infants receiving neonatal care through use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The neonatal unit environment was one factor that inhibited infant – parent communication along with anxieties about the child’s overall development. Some mothers stated that they had concerns about their infant’s potential for language development. This paper cites the importance of relevant training for parents on neonatal units receiving care for their infant and it also raises the importance of appropriate methods of on-going support once families are back home.
Markkula, A., Pyhälä-Neuvonen, R., & Stolt, S. (2024). Interventions and their efficacy in supporting language development among preterm children aged 0-3 years–A systematic review. Early Human Development, 106057 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106057
This systematic review acknowledges that specific interventions to support 0 – 3-year-old children born preterm are scarce. A total of 28 studies were included in this review. Three groups relating to interventions were identified: i) interventions for parents and infants in the NICU setting; ii) interventions during the first year, and iii) interventions for 2 – 3 year – old children. The NICU interventions tended to focus on positioning, massage and oral stimulation. Singing and listening to music as well as parental book reading were also given as examples. Although all these activities can encourage language and communication skills, clarity of how these activities could encourage language and interaction were not clear. The best results for language outcomes were in the second and / or third year groups. There is limited evidence to support early language interventions for parents and their infants born preterm in a NICU setting. This paper suggests that further research with clear language and communication outcomes is necessary.
Buil, A., Sankey, C., Caeymaex, L., Gratier, M., Apter, G., Vitte, L., & Devouche, E. (2022). Skin-to-skin SDF positioning: The key to intersubjective intimacy between mother and very preterm newborn—A pilot matched-pair case-control study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 790313 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.790313
This study proports to suggest that the use of skin-to-skin contact has benefits for communication for very preterm infant-mother dyads immediately after birth. Supported Diagonal Flexion positioning was used so that face-to-face closeness could be achieved for the dyads. The researchers observed communication behaviours a few days post birth in this monocentric prospective matched-pair case-controlled study. Thirty-four mothers and their very preterm infants (27 to 31 + 6 weeks GA) were assigned to one of two positioning groups: Vertical Control positioning ( n = 17) or Supported Diagonal Flexion positioning ( n = 17). Mothers in the Supported Diagonal Flexion group used more vocalisations for longer in comparison with the Vertical Control group. There were no differences in infant vocal output between the two groups. Positioning is important to enable positive communication to be facilitated by mothers of infants born preterm.
Ulvund, S. E. (2022). Early intervention in families with preterm infants: a review of findings from a randomized controlled trial following children up to 9 years of age. Children, 9(4), 474 https://doi.org/10.3390/children9040474
This paper does not particularly identify speech, language and communication skills but it does discuss the benefits of a Mother-Infant Transaction Program-Modified (MITP-M) used in Norway. Infants born preterm were included in this author’s investigations with other colleagues into cognitive and social development, quality of life and family stress. This article is a summary of a range of investigations undertaken by this group of researchers. Significantly, parents who had received support through the MITP-M intervention were better at interpreting their child’s needs and “reading” them. In addition, the children of the supported parents had fewer attention difficulties in school, better school achievements and academic outcomes as well as a reported better quality of life. Parents who had received the support programme reported lower levels of stress in comparison with parents who had not received support.
Bry A, Wigert H, Bry K. (2023) Need and benefit of communication training for NICU nurses. PEC Innovation. doi: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2023.100137
Evans, D., Butterworth, R., & Atkins, E. (2023). The anatomy of compassion: courage, connection and safeness in perinatal practice. Infant, 19, 88-92 https://www.infantjournal.co.uk/journal_article.html?id=7383
Guttmann KF, Raviv GN, Fortney CA, Ramirez M, Smith CB. (2024). Parent Perspectives on Communication Quality in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Adv Neonatal Care. 1;24(4):382-388. doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000001178.
Labrie, N. H., van Veenendaal, N. R., Ludolph, R. A., Ket, J. C., van der Schoor, S. R., & van Kempen, A. A. (2021). Effects of parent-provider communication during infant hospitalization in the NICU on parents: A systematic review with meta-synthesis and narrative synthesis. Patient education and counseling, 104(7), 1526-1552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2021.04.023
Riskin A, Shlezinger S, Yonai L, Mor F, Partom L, Monacis-Winkler E, Odler K, Goroshko M, Gover A. (2022). Improving Communication with Parents in the NICU during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a Study and Review of the Literature. Children (Basel). 11;9(11):1739. doi: 10.3390/children9111739.
Romeo R, Pezanowski R, Merrill K, Hargrave S, Hansen A. (2023). Parent and staff perspectives on the benefits and barriers to communication with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Child Health Care. (3):410-423. doi:10.1177/13674935221076216
Tenfelde K, Antheunis M, Krahmer E, Bunt JE (2023). Using Digital Communication Technology to Improve Neonatal Care: Two-Part Explorative Needs Assessment. JMIR Pediatr Parent 6:e38435 doi:10.2196/38435
