Author: A. Keller, N. Arbel, P Merlob, S. Davidson
Source: Pediatric Physical Therapy. 2003; 15: 3-7
This study examined the effect of positioning premature infants born at very low birth weight in hammocks. The investigators measured the effect of hammock positioning on growth, autonomic stability (based on heart rate and respiratory rate) and neuromuscular maturity (measured by Ballard?s Assessment of Maturity Scale. The Assessment Maturity Scale measures infant posture and flexibility. They compared ten infants placed in hammocks for three hours each day to ten infants not positioned in the hammocks. When not in hammocks all the infants were positioned on their stomachs. The infants were born at less than 31 weeks gestation and weighed less than 1500 grams. They had no birth defects, had normal head ultrasound findings, and did not need oxygen supplementation or intravenous feeding. The infants were cared for in incubators and bottle fed every three hours. The testing was done by a physician who did not know which infants were positioned in hammocks. The infants positioned in the hammock had lower heart rates and respiratory rates. The infants in the hammock group also showed greater progress in the Assessment of Maturity Scale than the infants not positioned in hammocks. Most of the progress was related to flexion of the legs. Weight gain did not differ between the two groups. The investigators concluded that positioning in a hammock may help infants to relax, and may encourage neuromuscular maturation.
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