Conclusion Considering the a) inherent soothing characteristics of a lullaby, b) biological relevance, familiarity, and preference for the parental voice, c) medical and neurodevelopmental benefits of music in the NICU, and d) increased opportunities for language input as a result of increased attention to music, parental lullaby singing is highly recommended as a standard of developmental and family-centered care. Music therapists with the NICU-MT designation are trained to provide music interventions that are matched to the developmental maturation of infants as measured by gestational weeks (Standley & Walworth, 2010). Thus, a NICU-MT should be consulted before music, such as a recorded parental lullaby, is provided to infants in the NICU. References Arnon, S., Diamant, C., Bauer, S., Regev, R., Sirota, G., & Litmanovitz, I. (2014). Maternal singing during kangaroo care led to autonomic stability in preterm infants and reduced maternal anxiety. Acta Paediatrica, 103(10), 1039-1044. Bozzette, M. (2008). Healthy preterm infant responses to taped maternal voice. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 22(4), 307-316. Caskey, M., Stephens, B., Tucker, R., & Vohr, B. (2011). Importance of parent talk on the development of preterm infant vocalizations. Pediatrics, 128(5), 910-916. Cevasco, A. M. (2008). The effects of mothers' singing on full-term and preterm infants and maternal emotional responses. Journal of Music Therapy, 45(3), 273-306. Chorna, O. D., Slaughter, J. C., Wang, L., Stark, A. R., & Maitre, N. L. (2014). A pacifier-activated music player with mother's voice improves oral feeding in preterm infants. Pediatrics, 133(3), 462-468. Colwell, C. M. (2009). Orff-based music therapy in the pediatric hospital setting. The Orff Echo, 41, 20-23. Detmer, M. R. (2015, November 13). Orff-based music therapy: Addressing anxiety and beyond. Paper presented at the American Music Therapy Association Conference, Kansas City, MO. Hack, M. (2007). Survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 45(3), 141-142. Krueger, C. (2010). Exposure to maternal voice in preterm
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infants. Advances in Neonatal Care, 10(1), 13-18. Madsen, C. K., & Madsen, C. H. (1997). Experimental research in music. Raleigh, NC: Contemporary Publishing Company. Nakata, T., & Trehub, S. E. (2004). Infants' responsiveness to maternal speech and singing. Infant Behavior & Development, 27(4), 455-464. Nguyen, J., Jarred, J., Walworth, D., Adams, K., & Procelli, D. (2005). Music therapy clinical services. In J. M. Standley et al. (Eds.), Medical music therapy: A model program for clinical practice, education, training and research (pp. 167-220). Silver Spring, MD: American Music Therapy Association. Standley, J. (2012). Music therapy research in the NICU: An updated meta-analysis. Neonatal Network, 31(5), 311-316. Standley, J. M., & Walworth, D. (2010). Music therapy with premature infants (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: The American Music Therapy Association, Inc. Standley, J. M., & Whipple, J. (2003). Music therapy for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit: Health and developmental benefits. In S. L. Robb (Ed.), Music therapy in pediatric healthcare: Research and evidence-based practice (pp. 19-30). Silver Spring, MD: The American Music Therapy Association, Inc. Symington A. & Pinelli J. M. (2006) Developmental care for promoting development and preventing morbidity in preterm infants. Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2, CD001814. About the Author Michael R. Detmer, M.M.E., MT-BC is a music therapist, lecturer, and clinical supervisor at University of Louisville and Norton Women’s and Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY.
Contact: michaelrdetmer@gmail.com
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