Reference 1: Alterations in Brain Structure...

Reference Page:

Pineda, R. G., Neil, J., Dierker, D., Smyser, C. D., Wallendorf, M., Kidokoro, H., Reynolds, L.

C., ... Inder, T. (January 01, 2014). Alterations in brain structure and neurodevelopmental

outcome in preterm infants hospitalized in different neonatal intensive care unit

environments. The Journal of Pediatrics, 164, 1, 52-60.

In-Text:

(Pineda et al., 2014)

Explanation:

The purpose of this study was to access any sort of correlation between the Neonatal ICU room

type and the neuro-development of prematurely born children. The infants were put into separate

care facilities within the same hospital, and were tracked from care to discharge. Assessment was

conducted at age two, with 86 returning. The use of this source was to include a number of

varied forms of neonatal care in regards to prematurely birthed babies; this includes sources

regarding technology, specific care techniques, etc. Some weaknesses of the study include a

myriad of things, one of which is the site in which the study was conducted. It took place in the

Midwestern United States, and is only specified as such. It does not expose much more than that,

and that could possibly lead to some form of deniability, as the facility could have been

lackluster. A strength of the source was that the study had considered various outside factors to

the subjected babies, such as birthing circumstances and medical staff. With these various facts

in mind, I can conclude that the source is strong enough to warrant use in our project. This is

because the safeguards and data collected correlate strongly with the goal we are trying to

portray with our project. Such statements as: At term equivalent age, infants in private rooms
were characterized by a diminution of normal hemispheric asymmetry and a trend toward having

lower amplitude integrated electroencephalography cerebral maturation scores, highlight the

data we are trying to convey. In regards to the validity of the study, the source was peer reviewed

by our database, and as such is trusted in that sense. Though there are a myriad of authors, one

that I researched was Roberta Pineda. When looking up her credentials, it showed that she was a

reputable PhD, and as such I knew she at least was reliable.

Reference 2: Maternal-Preterm Skin-to-Skin

Reference Page:

Feldman, R., Rosenthal, Z., & Eidelman, A. I. (January 01, 2014). Maternal-preterm skin-to-skin

contact enhances child physiologic organization and cognitive control across the first 10

years of life. Biological Psychiatry, 75, 1, 56-64.

In-Text:

(Feldman, Rosenthal, & Eidelman, 2014)

Explanation:

The purpose of this source was to assess skin contact, between a mother and a prematurely born

baby, and its effects on the development of that child within the first ten years. The process

consisted of the babies being taken out of the incubator and being sat in between the breasts of

their mother for one hour a day, for two weeks. They were then followed up at various points

post discharge. The use of this source is to again collect various methods of neonatal care post

the 1950s era of methodology. The most apparent limitation to the case study was that it had to

be conducted through a small policy loophole, as otherwise it couldnt have been conducted in

the same manner. Weaknesses of the study had to do with the aforementioned policy issue, as
well as the time and place the study was conducted. The study took place in Israel in 1997/1998,

where there was some militant action taking place. a strength of the source, despite these

shortfalls, was the data collected was compiled and analyzed very thoroughly. This source sees

itself as more methodology than technology, which is the focus of our project. Therefore, I may

not extract as much, or even at all, from this source due to that. This, however, does not detract

from the source itself, as the main author heads a reputable lab in Israel dedicated to the

development of social and neurobehavior of children.

Reference 3: Development in Neonatal Care

Reference Page:

Healy, P., & Fallon, A. (January 09, 2014). Developments in neonatal care and nursing

responses. British Journal of Nursing, 23, 1, 21-24.

In-Text:

(Healy & Fallon, 2014)

Explanation:

The purpose of this article is to look at the history of neonatal care across the health fields;

specifically focusing on the role of a nurse in regards to the care these babies receive. The article

draws a connection between the advent of neonatal care and the role neonatal nurses play within

that field. It tracks from the 1960s, where the NICU became widespread, till now. It comments

on the decreased morbidity and mortality rates over the course of the decades. The use of this

article was to have a different perspective on the advancement of neonatal care inclusive of the

technology and the caretakers. From what I could see, I didnt find any apparent weaknesses

within the source; however, I did find several strengths. The most notable was the inclusion of

statistics including gestational periods coinciding with premature births. As such, the source is
very valuable to the goal of our project, and will be used to the extent I see fit. The most prolific

statement in the article states that: In the 1960s, babies who were born before 28 weeks

gestation were not considered to be viable, whereas today a significant number of babies born at

24 weeks gestation survive. To the credit of the article, I say that it being peer review in the

database shows an apparent trustworthiness. When researching the authors, I found no points of

contention for either of them, further verifying the validity.

Reference 4: Randomized Trial of Occlusive Wrap

Reference Page:

Reilly, M. C., Vohra, S., Rac, V. E., Dunn, M., Ferrelli, K., Kiss, A., Vincer, M., ... Vermont

Oxford Network Heat Loss Prevention (HeLP) Trial Study Group. (January 01, 2015).

Randomized trial of occlusive wrap for heat loss prevention in preterm infants. The

Journal of Pediatrics, 166, 2, 262-8.

In-Text:

(Reilly et al., 2015)

Explanation:

The purpose of this sturdy was to discover if encompassing a prematurely born infant in a wrap

to prevent heat loss would reduce the risk of mortality. The study consisted of 801 infants who

were wrapped immediately after birth and monitored for their vitals. The study was overall

inconclusive, as they found little to no correlation between infant mortality and wrap usage

among premature babies. The most apparent limitation was that they could only do this for

prematurely born infants, which account for a much more limited pool to research. The biggest

weakness to the study was the limited results. The singular strength was that it included a

secondary goal, which then provided some notable data. The usage of this within our research is
offering an example of technology used for such cases. When considering all the factors, the

source offers no reason for further usage, as the lack of results fails to solidify itself as a true

advancement; which is what we are looking for. A team of authors conducted the study, so I

chose to evaluate the credibility of Maureen Reilly. I discovered she was a part of an academic

center in Toronto, Ontario. The establishment was reputable, and as such I saw the study as valid.

Reference 5: Outcomes for Extremely Premature Infants

Reference Page:
Glass, H. C., Costarino, A. T., Stayer, S. A., Brett, C., Cladis, F., & Davis, P. J. (2015). Outcomes

for Extremely Premature Infants. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 120(6), 13371351.

http://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000000705

In-Text:

(Glass et al., 2015)

Explanation:

The purpose of this article is to give some exposition on the post birth effects that prematurely

born infants are subject to. The article gives a consensus of the negative outcomes for children

born from a gestational period of less than 28 weeks. It goes over several different outcomes that

these infants face, such as: respiratory, neurological, and developmental issues. The usage of the

source is to give a view point of how these infants are effected by the circumstances of their

birth. A limitation associated with this article was that it references less about the methodology

and technology, and more towards a symptomatic look at outcomes. One of the articles biggest

strengths is that it goes in depth in its explanation of the drawbacks in health that premature

babies experience. It also gives varying statistics to support its many connections. The only

weakness I could discern was that it never went into specifics in regards to technology; rather, it
referred to them in a general sense. Despite that, this publication would be incredibly useful for

our project, as it puts the dangers of premature birth into perspective. It also compliments the

advancement of technology angle we have, as it shows how the statistics have been affected by

the creation of these new machines and techniques. A specific quote that I will most likely utilize

is: The introduction of CPAP, mechanical ventilation, and exogenous surfactant increased

survival and spurred the development of neonatal intensive care in the 1970s through the early

1990s. This displays the lasting impact of technological advancements in the neonatal field. In

order to verify the validity, I researched the lead author Hannah C Glass. I found that she is an

MD in pediatric neurology and founded the Neurointensive Care Nursery and is director of the

Neonatal Critical Care Service at UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital. With these staggering

credentials in mind, I can safely say the source is authentic and valid.

Reference 6: Closeness and Separation

Reference Page:
Flacking, R., Lehtonen, L., Thomson, G., Axelin, A., Ahlqvist, S., Moran, V. H., Ewald, U., ...

Dykes, F. (October 01, 2012). Closeness and separation in neonatal intensive care. Acta

Paediatrica, 101, 10, 1032-1037.

In-Text:

(Flacking et al., 2012)

Explanation:

The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of intimate contact between a preterm

baby and its parents. The article points to several different growth developments and correlates

them to the overall contact between a child and their parents. They also touch upon the positive

impact the intimacy can have on the parents themselves. The article mentions how much of an
impression a mothers contact is with her child. As such, a limitation I can see with this source is

that it takes a subjective matter and supports it with data; however, that does not necessarily

mean that the matter at hand became objective. This means that someone can disagree and

provide facts to disprove the correlation. The article does boast many strengths, one of which

include the dual perspectives expressed. They examine how the baby will develop under certain

environments and factors, while also considering the psychological effects the babys care has on

its parents. Overall, the source itself provides a plethora of factoids related to my topic; therefore,

I can see myself including this on my research, and most likely the final product. An interesting

line within the text stated that: A growing body of evidence in both humans and animals

suggests that brain development and later development may be influenced by the quality of care

given to preterm infants including physical and emotional closeness and parent empowerment.

About the credentials of the author, I decided to research Renee Flacking. I found that she was

part of the Department of Womens and Childrens Health in Uppsala University, Sweden. I

discovered that she also worked in neonatal care for a decade. With these facts in mind, I can rest

easy knowing I have found a valid source.

Reference 7: Born Too Soon: Care for the Preterm Baby

Reference Page:
Kinney, M., Lawn, J., Costello, A., de, G. J. J., Segre, J., Xylander, S., Davidge, R., ... Paul, V.

(November 15, 2013). Born Too Soon: Care for the preterm baby. Reproductive

Health, 10, 1-19.

In-Text:

(Kinney et al., 2013)

Explanation:
The purpose of this article is to provide a peek into the dedicated and complex methodologies of

caring for an infant born from a shortened gestational period. It lays out several care regimens to

ensure both the wellbeing and survival of these children. It speaks of specific care regarding

breastfeeding, thermal care, and skin care. There were no active limitations from the article that I

could see, although it begs to point out that this specific work was extracted from a bigger piece,

which may be considered a limitation. This source boasts a variable amount of strengths, the

most apparent being the extensive explanations of the several care regimens caretakers should

exercise. Another strength lies in its ability to conglomerate several different perspectives when

addressing the top; by this, I mean it considers the economic, social, and political factors of

caring for these children in facilities and homes. It even goes as far as to acknowledge various

countries like Sri Lanka and regions like sub-Saharan Africa. A third strength lies with the way in

which they support their notions of extra care with evidence. With an abundance of strengths,

there are little weaknesses; though, it does lack up and coming advancements. Considering these

pros and cons, I can concede to using this source for our research. A specific line that may make

it onto our final product may be, For health systems in low and middle income settings with

increasing facility births, district hospitals are the key frontier for improving obstetric and

neonatal care, and some large-scale programs now include specific newborn care strategies. To

assess the credibility of the source, I chose to research the organization behind the whole work.

The Save the Children organization serves to give children worldwide a good start to allow them

to flourish in the world. It is very reputable, and as such valid.

Reference 8: New Technology Helping Our Small

Reference Page:
Leibler, S. (2016, January 6). New Technology Helping Our Smallest Infants Progress Faster in

the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Retrieved April 02, 2017, from https://www.cedars-

sinai.edu/About-Us/News/News-Releases-2015/New-Technology-Helping-Our-Smallest-

Infants-Progress-Faster-in-the-Neonatal-Intensive-Care-Unit.aspx

In-Text:

(Leibler, 2016)

Explanation:

The purpose of this article was to highlight the new technology being utilized in order to better

improve the lives of prematurely born infants. Specifically, it referenced a piece of technology

being used at Cedars-Sinai hospital, called the Pea Pod. This machine operates using air

displacement to track the fat to body mass ratio. This allows the staff to personalize a care

regimen for the baby. The one weakness I found was that the article is sparse on details

compared to the other sources I discovered, so the information I draw from it is less detailed. The

strength, however, lies in its specific references to technology being utilized at the facility. Along

with the pea pod, they also mention breast milk analysis and specialized mattresses. Its sole

limitation lies in its length, as it consists of a page. This source is probably one of the most useful

of the ones I have collected because it names many types of technology being utilized in a

medical setting. Therefore, I will apply the information from this article thoroughly in our final

product. One line that will most likely make it into our final product is: With this information

health care workers can then personalize the babys nutritional supplements to help with

appropriate weight gain. To analyze the validity of this article, I decided to research the hospital

in which these practices are taking place. Cedars-Sinai hospital is nationally recognized leader in
innovation for healthcare. They are highly respected and reputable, and as such I feel as though

the source is very credible.

Reference 9: Interventions for Persisting Ductus

Reference Page:

Obladen, M., & Koehne, P. (2005). Interventions for persisting ductus arteriosus in the preterm

infant. Heidelberg: Springer Medizin.

In-Text:

(Obladen & Koehne, 2005)

Explanation:

This book provides an explicit look at a very specific outcome of premature and low weight

births. Ductus Arteriosus is a very rare heart defect in which prematurely born infants experience

bizarre blood flow between two major arteries connected to the heart. The defect occurs when

the blood vessel connecting the aorta and the pulmonary artery is left open after birth. Though

the cause is uncertain as of now, the disease still has the chance of being very deadly when these

children grown up. The only limitation I can ascertain is that the book is specific to the point

where it may not fit with the research I am conducting for this project. That said, there are some

strengths that I found. One was that it kept on topic with premature births while also talking

about the disease. Another was that it gave a plethora of therapy options for patients suffering

from this. However, I can only see myself utilizing small portions of the text, as they have the

most to do with my topic. One line specifically states that: Indomethacin was introduced for

pharmacological closure of PDA in the 1970s. Since then several thousand premature infants

have been treated in controlled trials. This line fits perfectly, as it considers both the historical

and statistical impact of the serum. To research its credibility, I decided to look up the
organization behind the authoring of the book, the National Institute of Environmental Health

Studies. The institute, from what I can gather, is a subset of the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services. They have made a tremendous impact in the past, and continue to this day.

Therefore, I certify this source as credible, albeit government associated.

Reference 10: Premature Babies Studies Shows

Reference Page:

Campbell, D. (2012, December 06). Premature babies study shows survival rates on rise.

Retrieved April 05, 2017, from

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/dec/05/survival-rates-premature-babies-rise

In-Text:

(Campbell, 2012)

Explanation:

This articles purpose serves to inform the public about the increasing rates of survival among

prematurely born infants. They attribute this amazing statistic to steroid therapy conducted on the

mother. The mothers participating are ones who are more likely to give birth at a dangerously

early gestational period. The steroids assist in strengthening the lungs of the fetuses, allowing

them to breathe better than they would have without such assistance. The limitations of this

source are that it is second hand, as they are only reporting the findings. That said, a strength it

possesses is the sparse statistics included to reiterate the betterment of the survival rates. The

weaknesses lie within the aforementioned problems, mainly the length and source. I will most

likely not utilize this source because it lacks any true substance to use. To validate the source, I

chose to investigate the correspondent who wrote the article. Denis Campbell is a health policy
editor for the Guardian, and has been writing since 2007. There is a lack of controversy

associated with him, therefore I would say the source is valid.