Multisensory Stimulation and Soft Tissue Therapy on Pain and Neurodevelopment Among Preterm Neonates

Purpose: To determine the combined effects of multisensory stimulation (MSS) and soft tissue therapy (STT) in managing procedural pain and promoting neurodevelopment in neonates undergoing repetitive painful procedures during their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay. Methods: Total of 104 preterm neonates admitted in NICU will be recruited for this trial. The intervention will be given for 5 consecutive days to both the groups. Experimental group will receive both MSS and STT; control group will receive routine NICU care. The premature infant pain profile and Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale will be used for assessing procedural pain, and Infant Neurological International Battery and Premie-Neuro will be used for assessing neurodevelopmental maturity. Relevant parametric or nonparametric test will be used to analyze the data for all outcomes. Discussion: This is a study protocol analyzing the combined effects of nonpharmacological interventions (MSS and STT) in preterm neonates.