Perceptions of mothers with preterm infants about early communication development: A scoping review.
Elanie Van Schalkwyk, Samantha Gay, Julia Miller and 2 others
PMID 32129663WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of preterm infants often feel like passive observers in the NICU, hindered by medical routines and language barriers.
Kangaroo mother care helped mothers understand their infant's signals better. Clinicians should actively involve mothers in daily care and feeding to reduce anxiety and support interaction.
Key findings
01Seven of the included studies found that practicing Kangaroo Mother Care helped mothers perceive their infant's communication signals more realistically and respond more naturally.
02Mothers frequently reported feeling like passive onlookers due to strict hospital rules, the presence of medical equipment, and healthcare professionals performing routine care tasks independently.
03Information provided to mothers often focused heavily on medical aspects, leaving them insecure about their ability to perform basic caregiving tasks like bathing or dressing the infant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review did not assess the quality of the included studies, so the strength of the evidence for each finding is unknown. Seven of the twelve studies were conducted in South Africa, so the findings may not generalize to other cultural or healthcare contexts. Most included studies were qualitative, which limits the ability to measure the magnitude of any effect on communication outcomes. The review focused on maternal perceptions rather than direct measures of infant communication development.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive association with Kangaroo Mother Care as proof that it directly improves infant language scores. The review reports maternal perceptions and interaction quality, not clinical outcomes for the infants.