Helpful Interventions
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Interventions to decrease stress in the drug exposed medically fragile infant
- Decrease lights and noise in room, including TV/radio.
- Wrap the baby snugly with hands mid-line. This helps to overcome extensor tone.
- Always place baby on back or side to sleep—never on tummy.
- Hold the baby’s hands mid-line over the baby’s chest with one of your hands, exerting a secure feeling.
- Try rocking with baby held vertically. This is often more successful than horizontal rocking.
- Frequent warm water baths help calm them.
- If baby is gaze averting seemingly over stimulated by simple eye contact with you, sit the baby on your lap, snugly wrapped, facing away from you.
- Do not use walkers with these infants. Walkers increase predisposition to weight bear on toes.
- Protect the baby’s knees from irritation during periods of frantic fussiness.
- Use a pacifier to help with their non-nutritive sucking needs.
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