Assessing the Benefits of a Novel Postural Supporting Device on the Postural Development of Preterm Neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Feasibility Study.

Advances in neonatal intensive care have significantly increased the survival rates of preterm infants. However, many of these infants continue to face serious motor impairments, contributing to both short- and long-term morbidity. Therapeutic positioning is a key neurodevelopmental intervention in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), aimed at supporting posture and movement. This feasibility study evaluated the effects of a novel postural support device on the postural development of preterm neonates in the NICU. Nine medically stable preterm infants, with no diagnosed diseases or conditions, were included in the study. All participants received daily neonatal physiotherapy and were continuously positioned in the novel postural support device for one week. The Infant Positioning Assessment Tool was used to assess posture before and after the intervention. After one week, a statistically significant improvement was observed across all posture components - head, neck, shoulders, hands, hips/pelvis, and knees/ankles/feet - with a p-value of 0.026. These findings suggest that the novel postural support device, in combination with physiotherapy, positively influences the postural development of preterm neonates.