How Engaged Are Infants And Toddlers While Picture Book Reading?, Zoe Lawless

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: Literacy is a very important skill that begins to be acquired at birth. Most children start to develop pre-literacy skills by being read to by their parents or other adults around them. Being read aloud to can occur at many different ages and can start as early as infancy. As children grow, they interact and engage with books in different ways. This thesis aims to investigate the read-aloud behaviors of two different groups of young children, to reveal differences in engagement interactions among infants and young toddlers when being read picture books by their teacher.

Methods: The …

The Relationship Between Congenital Heart Disease And Infant Mortality In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Helen Nneoma Odo

Capstone Experience

Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are conditions that are present at birth and can affect the structure of an infant’s heart and the way it works. Millions of children are born each year with congenital heart disease yet screening for CHD is not practiced in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMICs). Studies on access to healthcare for infants with congenital heart disease have not kept pace. This literature review centers on the role of congenital heart disease in infant mortality, its burden, incidence and prevalence in LMICs. The databases of PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase were searched and the selected articles for …

Pediatric Streptococcal Pharyngitis Testing And Treatment Practices, Amanda Welch

Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this pilot quality improvement study was to implement SmartPhrases and assess its impact on adherence to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guideline for Group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis testing and treatment in pediatric patients ages 1-16 years old. The aim was to use SmartPhrases to improve adherence with the IDSA guideline by 30% for GAS pharyngitis swabbing and 10% for appropriate antibiotic prescribing in three months.

Methods: A retrospective data analysis approach was used, in reviewing SmartPhrases data from the electronic health records (EHR) in a metropolitan Urgent Care. This data were collected from …

Provision Of Formal Education To Nursing Staff: Kangaroo Mother Care Within Maternal-Child Units, Jessica Holly

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an evidence-based intervention that improves neonatal outcomes and reduces mortality in infants. KMC is not fully integrated into local hospital maternal-child departments and nursing professionals do not have a standard education offering concerning KMC. While the use of KMC is not entirely absent, nursing knowledge and understanding of its correct execution leads to lesser occurrences of KMC initiation. This scholarly project addresses nursing knowledge as a practice quality improvement. A literature review was completed, including searches through CINAHL, Merck Manuals, MEDLINE Plus Health Information, ProQuest, and UpToDate. A pretest, educational video, and posttest were then …

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Marketing Of Infant Formula, Valeria De La Torre

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Less than half of the world’s infants and young children are breastfed despite the major benefits and recommendations by WHO. Commercial milk formula has been advertised so intensely that it has produced many misleading marketing styles that lead parents to believe commercial milk formula has better benefits than breastmilk. The United States is one of the few countries that have yet to act on WHO’s International Code of Marketing for Breastmilk to decrease the aggressive marketing styles in place. By only placing pictures of happy babies on the formula cans, it leads parents to believe that their baby would be …

Occupational Therapy In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) & Implementation Of The Test Of Infant Motor Performance, Juliana C. Keane

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Current literature identifies the recognizable value of occupational therapy within the NICU; however, not all NICUs utilize therapy services. The purpose of this project was to highlight the role of occupational therapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and implement the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) within this setting through a variety of goals, objectives, and produced deliverables. Als’ Synactive Theory of Development and the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEOP) Model guided this capstone project. In addition to in-depth clinical practice, education and program development were the methods utilized to achieve the project’s goals. The results of this project further support …

Educating Acute Care And Emergency Nurses On Infant Safe Sleep Practices, Kimberly Catherine Mackeil-White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rates of infant deaths due to sudden infant death syndrome, asphyxia, and sudden unexplained infant death dropped significantly during the original marketing and education push for infant safe sleep practices during the 1990s following the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics, but a plateau has occurred with no further recent decreases. Safe sleep practices are inconsistent in the practicum site and guidelines for safe sleep practices do not exist. Although aware of the concepts, staff do not consistently educate families about maintaining the practices within the hospital environment, as evidenced by non-compliance with …

Infant Safe Sleep Initiative, Heather Kuisle

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Abstract

Background: Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), which includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is one of the leading causes of infant deaths in the United States and a significant health issue. Although there has not been a distinct single cause found for SIDS, it has been determined that there are several risk factors identified that increase the risk of an infant dying from SIDS. Infant Safe Sleep Education as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics is essential for healthcare professionals to educate new families on infant safe sleep.

Objective: The objective of this project was to create and …

Implementation Of Infant Driven Feeding™ In A Level Ii Nicu, Kelly Gardner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

In the United States, currently, 1 in 10 babies are born premature. Due to the immaturity of their neurological, gastrointestinal, and cardio-respiratory functions, preterm infants can experience the inability to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing that is essential to oral feed. Cue-based oral feeding methods are designed to give the caregiver the ability to recognize signs of readiness and respond appropriately to the infant cues to adjust the manner in which feeding intervention is performed to match the infant’s current state of physiologic tolerance. The Infant Driven Feeding™ program incorporates scales to assess readiness and quality of the oral feeding, …

Prenatal Education For Black Mothers And Their Support Persons As An Intervention For Improving Initiation Of Breastfeeding, Sandra King

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The benefits of breastfeeding are commonly known; however, the rates of exclusive breastfeeding among the Black community are less than those of other ethnic groups. Providing breastmilk or formula to an infant is an individual decision. Influential factors such as cultural background, employment status, socioeconomic status, level of education, and availability of support from family members and health care providers correlate with the method a mother chooses to feed her infant. Increasing breastfeeding initiation immediately after birth is a necessary precedent for uptake in the exclusivity of breastfeeding.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice project aims to improve prenatal …

A Community Educational Intervention To Improve Firearm Safety Behavior In Families, Elizabeth G. Choma Msn, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Every day in America children, are injured or killed from the accidental shooting of firearms. Additionally, few households with children report storing all guns unloaded and locked up. Recent evidence supports education on safe firearm storage as an effective intervention in promoting firearm safety in families with children. However, Pediatric healthcare providers often do not have enough time for firearm education during well visits.

Objective: This Quality Improvement (QI) project aimed to use an educational intervention with statistics on firearms in children and implemented the Asking Saves Kids (ASK) campaign to assess and improve firearm safety behaviors in families …

Impact Of Parent Presence On Stress In Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Susan M. Horner

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine potential relationships between cumulative stress exposure in infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), as measured using a resting salivary cortisol level at NICU discharge, and the amount (hours per week) or frequency (days per week) of parent presence and skin-to-skin care (SSC). This descriptive study was conducted via a secondary analysis of a dataset representing 78 NICU families from a tertiary level NICU in the Midwest. Median length of stay was 33 days, and a resting salivary cortisol level collected at one month of age was used for infants not discharged …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

The Role Of Micrornas In The Pathophysiology Of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury, Eric S. Peeples

Theses & Dissertations

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a devastating injury resulting from impaired blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain at or around the time of birth. The subsequent metabolic failure and cellular injury in the brain can be partially attenuated by rapid initiation of therapeutic hypothermia, but even with prompt induction of hypothermia, more than one in four survivors suffer from major developmental disabilities – an indication of the critical need for more effective therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNA) may be able to act as therapeutic targets in neonatal HIBI; however, very little is known about the endogenous expression of miRNAs …

Developing Deep-Learning Methods For Diagnosis And Prognosis Of Pediatric Progressive Diseases Using Modern Imaging Techniques, Mahdieh Shabanian

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose and Rationale. Central nervous system manifestations form a significant burden of disease in young children. There have been efforts to correlate the neurological disease state in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) neurological disease state with imaging findings is a standard part of patient care. However, such analysis of neuroimaging is time- and labor-intensive. Automated approaches to these tasks are needed to improve speed, accuracy, and availability. Automated medical image analysis tools based on 3D/2D deep learning algorithms can help improve the quality and consistency of image diagnosis and interpretation for cognitive disorders in infants. We propose to automate neuroimaging analysis …

Nicu Experiences Of Adoptive Parents & Desired Preparation, Catherine J. Howe

MSU Graduate Theses

Parents who have newborns admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have multiple experiences and emotions. Additional social and emotional layers are experienced by adoptive couples when the infant they wish to adopt needs specialized care. This research study was completed to find out what adoptive parents experience in the NICU and what preparation would have been helpful. The method included semi-structured, open-ended interviews with seven couples who adopted a newborn at a Midwestern adoption agency within the past three years and had a NICU experience. The results described adoptive couples’ experiences on the unit, bonding and attachment, fears …

The Influence Of Side-Lying Position On Oropharyngeal Swallow Function In At-Risk Infants: An Exploratory Study, Julian White

Dissertations, 2020-current

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) are the primary healthcare providers responsible for the evaluation and treatment of infant feeding and swallowing disorders. At-risk infants, such as those born prematurely or with certain medical conditions, are more prone to swallowing impairments (i.e., dysphagia). Dysphagia in at-risk infants can have severe consequences such as chronic respiratory symptoms, pneumonia, progressive lung disease, undernutrition, and death. Therefore, it is important to have methods of examining an infant’s swallow functioning that are both safe and accurate. A leading method of evaluating infant swallowing is the Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBS). The works contained within this dissertation document …

Assessing Word Recognition Through Head Turn Preference In Infants With Chronic Otitis Media, Allison E. Schmidt

Dissertations, 2020-current

Previous studies across a variety of different languages have shown that eleven-month-olds tested via the head-turn preference paradigm show a preference for familiar words over unfamiliar words, as demonstrated by longer look times. This study examined the effect of chronic otitis media on the preference for familiar over unfamiliar words. Nine eleven-month-old children (mean age 342 days, SD = 9.61) with chronic ear infections, defined as three or more diagnoses before the test date, were tested using wordlists adapted from a study performed by Vihman et al. (2004). Children with a history of chronic otitis media did not show a …

"Incidence, Prevalence And Risk Factors Of Retinopathy Of Prematurity In Indian Scenario-A Systematic Review And Meta- Analysis", Ashwitha H Gamsa

Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Mothers’ Negative Emotional Symptoms And Mother-Infant Interactions During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Kolbie A Vincent

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mothers' negative emotional symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and mother-infant interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the early months of the pandemic, when daycares were closed, through an online survey of parents and infants. Participants included 54 mothers of infants 3-34 months of age living in Kentucky. Well-being was measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale – 21 (DASS 21). Questions related to parent-infant interactions included time spent interacting with the infants by reading, singing, playing freely with no set goal, engaging in a meaningful …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding, Cameron Watson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support Internship allows students to gain insight on breastfeeding practices through volunteering at University of Arkansas sporting events. Therefore, I chose to review prevalent barriers to breastfeeding that mothers in the United States face. These mothers were at least one of these: Hispanic, Marshallese, African American, disabled, employed, a veteran, living in a rural area, or a woman of the general American population. This topic is relevant because of the many benefits that breastfeeding provides for both the baby and the mother.

Tiny Tusk Internship: The Relationship Between Duration Of Breastfeeding And The Development Of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, Mckenna Gribble

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that remains highly prevalent in the youth community, yet its cause cannot be definitively placed. With the idea that this condition is primarily targeting children, the problem and possible solution may lie in infancy. The purpose of this literature review was to integrate evidence from studies published from 2015 to 2021 on the relationships between duration of breastfeeding during infancy and the development of ADHD. The results of this review supported the hypothesis that a longer duration of breastfeeding has a protective effect on childhood development and reduces the risk of developing ADHD …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Does Breastfeeding Education In An Undergraduate Nursing Program Affect Student Knowledge And Attitudes Concerning Breastfeeding?, Grace Murphy

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks provides honors nursing students enrolled in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas an opportunity to support mothers in the community by providing breastfeeding services, education, and assistance at public Razorback sporting events. Interns provide this support by setting up designated lactation spaces at sporting events, such as gymnastics meets, football, and basketball games, for mothers to breastfeed or pump. In this thesis, I reflect on my internship experience and provide a review of literature. Since the aim of Tiny Tusks is to provide breastfeeding education and support to mothers in the community, the …

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding And Infant Support Internship, Anna Elizabeth Ray

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program at the University of Arkansas that provides a clean, private area for mother’s to nurse, pump, and change their infant’s diaper at Razorback home athletic events. The Tiny Tusks area is utilized at multiple athletic events including football games, men’s basketball games, and women’s gymnastics meets. Mothers are supplied comfortable rocking chairs, clean changing tables, heaters or fans depending on the weather, bottled water, and informational handouts about a wide array of breastfeeding topics. Along with supporting mothers, the mission of Tiny Tusks is to normalize breastfeeding in public areas and …

Early Premature Infant Physiologic And Behavioral Indicators Of Ans Instability, Karen Popp Becker

Theses and Dissertations

The advanced survival of the early premature infant (EPI) since the post-surfactant era has not improved many comorbidities. EPI comorbidities influence their lifelong health, social, and cognitive outcomes. EPIs often have immature and disorganized responses to stimuli during the neonatal period. EPIs respond to stressors from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s (NICU) environment, stimulation, or disease states based on physiologic system changes, often resulting in observable behavioral changes. Both physiologic and behavioral changes reflect autonomic nervous system (ANS) disruption, thus instability. Instability of the ANS due to chronic stressors, can lead to chronic physiologic dysregulation and lead to lifelong health …

The Impact Of Midwifery On Infant And Maternal Outcomes Among Black Mothers, Joann Honoré

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent studies, disparities are prevalent in maternal and fetal outcomes between Black and White mothers in the United States. Researchers have established that using a midwife versus other healthcare practitioners can elicit positive maternal and fetal outcomes for Black mothers. However, no within-race research has been conducted exploring midwifery as an insulating factor against these disparities. The purpose of this quantitative retrospective cohort study was to explore the impact of midwifery on infant and maternal outcomes compared to outcomes associated with other prenatal care models/caregivers among Black mothers in California using secondary data. The ecological model was used …

The Effects Of Postpartum Depression On Children's Social Development, Delaney Besse, Margaret Williams, Danielle Spencer, Brooke Walters

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The increased incidence of postpartum depression has had significant effects on children’s social development. The purpose of this systematic review is to bring attention to the growing problem in such a vulnerable population. In addition, it was designed to shed light on the lack of research in this area of healthcare. The methods used to conduct the study include various peer reviewed, scholarly and evidenced based articles from databases such as Academic Search Complete, PsycNet, and Pubmed. Each article has been critically evaluated based on the following guidelines: a population group of children under the age of four, specifically maternal …

An Altitude Adjustment: Implementing A Clinical Practice Guideline In The Newborn Nursery At Moderate Altitude, Leeann Blaskowsky

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: All infants undergo many changes at birth, but for some, the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life presents more of a challenge, especially at altitude. Despite continuing research, neonatal prescribing guidelines for oxygen therapy remain ambiguous.

PICOT: For term and late preterm infants requiring oxygen beyond transition, does a clinical practice guideline compared to practice without a guideline, provide consistent, evidence-based care, support the mother-infant dyad, and impact nursing perceptions over a six-week pilot period?

Evidence: Birth at moderate altitude presents the newly born with less oxygen than those delivered at sea level. Several studies …

Risk Factors Contributing To The Development Of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Among Preterm Infants, Caitlin E. Bradley

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a pulmonary disease that affects infants born < 32 weeks gestational age. Despite improved survival among preterm infants, the incidence and severity of BPD has not improved, rather the features and severity of BPD have evolved (Abman et al., 2017). BPD is a disease that has significant impact on the outcomes of preterm infants, including poor pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcomes (Abman et al., 2017). Since its identification in 1967, and many iterations to its defining criteria, healthcare practitioners are unable to accurately predict infants’ risk of developing BPD. Further, there is significant family, social, and economic impacts from BPD. This dissertation research examined risk factors for BPD, as identified in a mid-range theory developed from a systematic review of the literature. This mid-range theory is framed using the Neuman Systems Model (NSM) (2011). The research utilized a secondary analysis of data from a database including a cohort of infants born at < 32 weeks’ gestation (n=455) treated at Boston Children’s Hospital. Findings from this research demonstrated that multiple intrapersonal risk factors are associated with development of BPD and the grades of BPD severity including gestational age, birth weight, surfactant administration, necrotizing enterocolitis, infections, mechanical ventilation duration, and patent ductus arteriosus. This research adds to the current body of research by demonstrating specific risks associated with BPD. Findings of this research could be used to identify maternal infant dyads that would benefit from early therapy(s) to reduce BPD risk.