The effects of a tactile stimulation/range‐finding programme on the development of very low birth weight infants during initial hospitalization

Summary During 1984 and 1985, after their referral to the intermediate care nursery, 51 healthy very low birth weight infants were subjected to a tactile stimulation programme imitating the spatial limitation which occurs towards the end of gestation. The sensory motor development of the study group was compared with the development of a control group during initial hospitalization. The study and control group differed significantly in the neonatal period after completion of the programme. The study group showed better auditive responses (P < 0.02), more variations in hand movements (P < 0.01), less hypotony (P < 0.02), more sucking (P < 0.02), and less bradycardia and apnoea (P < 0.01).