Introduction: Premature birth deprives an infant of development in a womb. There is a higher risk for different complications right after birth, especially with extremely low birth weight neonates. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma work is to show the effects of tactile and kinesthetic stimulation on growth and development of premature infants. Methods: in the diploma work the descriptive method of work is used. A systematic review of scientific and technical literature was made. The search of literature was carried out in databases: CINAHL, Medline, Science Direct, Google Scholar and in cooperative Bibliographic System COBISS+. A few references from other scientific articles were used. The sources and literature in Slovene and English language is included. Results: Premature infants are exposed to the risk of complications right after birth and in growth and development later in life. Neonatal intensive unit is a stressful environment for a preterm child. Many studies have shown that a gentle touch of the child’s parents or a health care worker can be therapeutic for the baby, as it provides tactile stimulation that the child would get if still inside the uterus. Tactile and kinesthetic stimulation affect the parasympathetic nervous system that stimulates the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal system. Results of the studies show that this kind of stimulation accelerates the neonate’s growth and weight gain. Furthermore it has a positive effect on sleeping patterns, lower levels of stress, neurological development, reduces hospital stay and promotes bonding between the child and its parents. Discussion: Infant developmental care has significantly progressed in the past few decades. It has enabled even the most extreme low birth weight premature infants to survive. Tactile and kinesthetic stimulation can be used as an alternative and addition to standard developmental infant care.
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