We Should Understand That Loud Sound Is Harmful For The Preterm Baby And At The Infant Care Area We Should Have Permissible 45-50 Decibels. This Can Be Looked Into By Having Digital Sound Monitoring Meters Which Are Available.
Shahid Akhter  |  ETHealthWorld  |  24 February 2016, 8:44 AM IST



Dr. Amitava Sen Gupta, Director, Mother & Child Care, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon, talks to ETHealthworld on how care should be ensured in NICU’s for the growing number of preterm babies.

1. Tell Us About The Current Scenario Of Newborns?
   In today’s scenario we may be tackling with as sick babies as possible but the gold standard today is intact survival. We want a good neurodevelopmental outcome of these preterm fragile or critically ill newborns. Hence intact survival, growing up to a good normal and a productive adult that is of use to the country is what our aim should be. I order to achieve this NICU’s should have a programme of developmental supportive care in place while the sick babies are in the NICU’s.
   
   
2. What Are The Challenges That You Face?
   In Paras which is a tertiary care, level 3 unit, we have a wide variety of babies out born as well as in born. We have the preemies, the ELBW’s and along with this we have babies who have other illnesses which could be associated to respiratory, cardiac or anything. The other challenges are the out born babies who are sick but are transferred in and during the transport they are destabilised and we receive them in a compromised stage. There is a wide variety of surgical as well as neonatal medicine cases which we get in our unit and we try to tackle to the best of our ability.
   
   
3.  What Is The Importance Of The Developmental Supportive Programme?
   Our developmental supportive programme which is in the NICU is a broad group of evidence based interventions which help and promote good neuromotor maturation. This is done by decreasing the stress and pain of the neonates and concentrating on proper positioning, handling and other modalities
   
   
4.  What Are The Other Issues That Should Be Taken Care Of In An NICU?
   We should understand that loud sound is harmful for the preterm baby and at the infant care area we should have permissible 45-50 decibels. This can be looked into by having digital sound monitoring meters which are available. The NICU team should be sensitized to this entire scenario and there should be a cultural change in the method of working. There is a need for a cultural change in the controlling of modulation of voice and behaviour towards the baby.