MS

thesisWith the growing number of premature infants whose lives are being saved through increased knowledge and skill, it becomes evident that attention must be paid to the results of this effort. Studies (Harper, 1967; Rathchild, 1967, Shirley, 1931) gave supported the incidence of undesirable sequelae in premature infants. The value of stimulation of the isolated infant in helping prevent some of the seqqulae has also been investigated (Scarr-Salapatek, 1972; Katz, 1971; Neal, 1968). An investigation of the response of premature infants (37 gestational weeks or less) to heartbeat sounds was conducted with six infants who were free of severe neurological or physiological problems and who were confined to an incubator for fourteen to twenty-one day. Twenty-four hours after birth all infants were evaluated as to gestational age, using a Dubowitz assessment tool, and then each infant was alternately assigned to a control or an experimental group. Infants in the experimental group were exposed to a tape recording of normal heartbeat sounds of 70 paired beats per minute. The heartbeat sounds were play at 70-decibel sound-pressure level through a three-and-one half-inch speaker. The sound-pressure level was checked using a General Radio Sound-Pressure Meter, C scale. Evaluation of the two groups was conducted by comparison of weight gain and caloric intake. The hypothesis that premature infants exposed to heartbeat sounds would gain more weight than infants not exposed to the sounds could not be supported from the statistically insignificant data obtained from this small sample. Experimental and control groups were not comparable, even though they were randomly selected. The groups differed in sex, their average weight in grams, mode of feedings, and caloric intake. The experimental group weight less at birth, were gavage fed more frequently, and had lower caloric intake. This writer believes that these differences affected weight gain in the two groups. A recommendation for further study is made