Mothers can provide pain relief to their newborns, even in the context of intensive neonatal care. There is a recent accumulation of data, being analyzed by ourselves in a Cochrane review, that mothers holding their infants in a bare-chested skin-to-skin position, known as Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), is effective in diminishing pain response during a single painful procedure. While evidence is compelling, leading to recommendations for its use, to date there is not a single study on the repeated efficacy to reduce pain. Current guidelines recommend sweet taste for minor painful procedures. Although there is some controversy about its continued use in this population based on one study with negative neurodevelopmental outcomes as well as its potential interaction with dopaminergic development, oral sucrose (sweet taste) remains efficacious in decreasing pain response over several weeks. The combination of KMC and sucrose is marginally more potent, but again, long term use remains unstudied. AIMS. To test the repeated efficacy in diminishing pain from heel lance of KMC compared to usual care (sucrose), and of KMC in combination with sucrose by examining each condition at least three times during NICU stay. A secondary aim is to compare these interventions on neurodevelopment at discharge from the NICU.
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP)
Timeframe: At the moment of painful procedure