Effectiveness of Tactile Stimulation versus Auditory Stimulation on Neurobehavioral Development among Neonates in NICU in Selected Hospital

Background: Neonates are at risk for various health problems,even though they are born with average weight. The mortality and morbidity rates in newborns are high. The neonates react to both internal and external stimuli and manifest state related behavior. Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are subject to a highly continuous stressful environment, high-intensity noise, bright light and a lack of the tactile stimulation that they would otherwise experience in the womb or in general mothering care (Vickers, et al., 2004). The fetal environment provides the fetus with multiple potential sources of rhythmic stimulation that are not present in the NICU. Maternal breathing, heartbeats, walking, dancing, running, speaking, singing, etc., all bathe the fetus in an environment of varied rhythmic stimuli: vestibular, somatosensory, tactile, and auditory. In contrast, the NICU environment does not offer the same proportion of rhythmic stimulation. After analyzing the NICU environment, the focus of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of tactile versus auditory stimulation on neuro behavioral development among neonates in NICU. Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of tactile stimulation versus auditory stimulation on Neurobehavioral development among neonates in NICU, in selected Hospital, at Nellore District. Methods: A Factorial design was adopted to evaluate the effectiveness of tactile stimulation and auditory stimulation simultaneously in two independent groups. The study was conducted in NICU of the selected hospital. A sample size of 100 neonates in NICU were selected and 50 Neonates were assigned to tactile stimulation group(Group-I)- 25 neonates in experimental group and 25 neonates in a control group. 50 neonates were assigned to auditory stimulation group(Group ?II),Among 50, 25 neonates allocated to experimental group and 25 neonates to the control group by using probability stratified random sampling technique followed by simple random technique. Modified Brazelton's Neonatal Neuro Behavioral Assessment Scale (NNBAS was used to assess the Neuro behavioral Development before and after proving tactile stimulation and the auditory stimulation. Data analysis: data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics according to the objectives and the hypothesis tested. Results: the results revealed that, that there is a significant improvement in the neuro behavioral development of neonates in NICU after providing tactile stimulation and auditory stimulation . It is evident from the findings of the study that auditory stimulation is more effective than the tactile stimulation in improving the neuro behavioral development among neonates. Conclusion: It is evident that there is significant improvement in neuro behavioral development on neonates after providing the auditory stimulation when compared to the neonates in tactile stimulation group.