Prematureproject - Methode

The nurse demonstrated the child's physiological/inner balance, motoric capasity and ability to state-regulation for the parents with the early-intervention-methode. In addition the parents saw the child's ability for attention and social interaction. The research project gave the nurse and the parents 7 hours the last week before planned discharge.

After the first examination they systematicly examined the child's systems for physiological inner balance, the child's motoric system and observed the child's ability to regulate it's states in sleep and awake states.
Then we tried to find the child's awake state and see the child's ability to interact socially. Often the parents were surprised by the child's capasity, because they seldom saw  their child awake and answering the challenge by following her mothers face or a toy. These awake periods were often brief. The parents were urged to use these ”golden moments”. 

The sixth hour on the hospital was about recognizing the child's signals in everyday care. The parents often chose a situation where they experienced stress. Often during the bathing. Whith simple handling techniques we where able to turn the bathing into a good experience for both the child and the parents. The last hour was preparation for discarge, and a review on what we had learnt from the baby, and the parents often had questions and thoughts on the challenge of going home.

The project implied a homevisit after about three days, and adjustment to each other at home was the main theme. At the second homevisit after two weeks, mutual joy through play was the theme. At the third homevisit after one month, temperament was the theme, and at the fourth and last visit after three months, summing up and closure. 

The purpose of the homevisits was to support the feeling of control and self-confidence.

Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale or "Brazelton"

Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale, NBAS or "Brazelton" after
T. Berry Brazelton that is the inventor of the methode.

NBAS is a research-tool where one can assess a child's capasity before an intervention or one can compare groups one wants to study.

In the Premature project all children were assessed, both premature and fullterm. We wanted an assessment that could measure the children's capasity as early as possible.

NBAS is also used as a clinical assessment-methode – mainly by clinicians with connection to the Brazelton Institute - Childrens Hospital in Boston.

• The Brazelton Institute
  
  Brazelton Instituttet have recently (published 2007) developed the methode as a guidance tool, where  the parents participates at an assessment and recieves guidance in seing the child's reactiones and to respond according to the child's signales, much of what we where doing in the intervention group in the Premature project. The methode is called NBO - Newborn Behavioral Observations.