Interactive infant-directed singing as supportive music therapy for premature and term newborns during painful procedures

During the most vulnerable period in a child's life, neonates are exposed to a high number of painful procedures, sometimes without the comfort and affection of their parents. Since pain can have consequences for the neurological and behaviour-oriented development of the newborn, attention needs to be paid to identify non-pharmacological interventions with regard to procedural pain. Music Therapy interventions like live lullaby singing have shown to promote health and growth in premature and term infants and support the attachment process. In previous studies the beneficial effects of music and singing on neonates' pulse rate, respiration, saturation and behavioural state, imply that infant-directed singing might also be pain alleviating.

PhD student

Alexandra Ullsten, alexandra.ullsten@oru.se