0582-03 Phototherapy at Casa do Bebê
Project Lead(s): Claudia Alves, Lívia Magalhães
In addition to the immediate health threats that preterm infants face, many premature infants in Brazil grow up exposed to the adversities associated with unfavourable socio-economic situations. The lack of a systematic assessment of child development, or specialized monitoring and support for premature infants after hospital discharge, may create adverse effects for these children in the short, medium and long term.
This project aims to format a model of intervention with the families of premature babies that were referred to Casa do Bebê (Baby House) at Sofia Feldman Hospital in Brazil, an initial home for premature children at a hospital specializing in care for pregnancy complications and premature babies. While staying at the Casa do Bebê, each mother will participate in at least two workshops to understand their child’s needs and to build a portfolio on their baby´s achievements, their wishes and expectations, in order to empower parents to best care for their infants at home.
Children will be followed for 12 months, while mothers participate in group meetings to update the portfolio and discuss care-taking and developmental issues. The followed-up babies will be compared to others who did not have this experience. The innovation aims to strengthen the emotional bond with parents, reduce parental stress and stimulate care-taking practices that promote the overall development of premature children.
