Evaluation of Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy Co-Treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

AIMS: To examine co-treatment with music therapy and occupational therapy with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used to study the effect of standard care occupational therapy (SCOT) vs co-treatment with music therapy (Co-Tx) on behavioral state and physiologic measures. 46 participants were enrolled in the study. Interventions were implemented in approximately 20-minute sessions. Physiologic measures, heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2), were collected using Sickbay. Behavioral measures were collected using The Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) Pain Assessment Tool. RESULTS: Mean heartrates during Co-Tx (161.3 ± 15.4 BPM) did not differ significantly compared to SCOT (161.8 ± 15.7 BPM). In unadjusted comparisons, mean SpO2 levels were significantly higher during Co-Tx than SCOT (95.48 ± 3.43% vs. 95.12 ± 3.71%, p = 0.046). There was a significant decrease in pre- to post-test FLACC scores for Co-Tx when compared to SCOT (decrease of 0.97 ± 1.96 vs. 0.61 ± 1.65, p = 0.023). In adjusted comparisons, there were no statistically significant differences in physiological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Co-treatment with music therapy may create a more stable and regulated environment for NICU infants. Further research is recommended on music therapy co-treatment with rehabilitative therapies.

The Effect of Contingent Singing on Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

A significant component of care for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is providing an optimal environment for supporting neurodevelopment and growth. Interventions that support the behavioral and physiologic stability of this population may play an important role in improving overall outcomes. Contingent singing is a music intervention that allows the caregiver to tailor certain musical elements, such as rhythm and tempo, to match behavioral and physiologic cues and support the infant in achieving optimal stabilization. A randomized crossover design was used to study the effect of contingent singing on the behavioral state and physiologic measures compared to standard care practices in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Data were collected on a sample of 37 infants diagnosed with BPD. There were no significant differences in the physiologic measures or behavioral states of infants in the contingent singing sessions compared to control sessions. Parents and staff reported favorable views of music therapy in the NICU, and there were no adverse responses from infants during contingent singing. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this intervention on the physiologic stability of infants with BPD.

Music Therapist Experiences of a Randomized Controlled Trial as Clinician Researchers.

Music therapy clinicians bring an important perspective to the design and conduct of clinically meaningful studies. Unfortunately, there continue to be roadblocks that hinder clinician involvement in research and the development of successful partnerships between academic researchers and practicing clinicians. To help grow clinician involvement, it is important that research teams share their experiences. As such, the purpose of this qualitative study was to share music therapists' perspectives about their experience of working as a research clinician on a large multisite randomized controlled trial. 10 board-certified music therapists provided written responses to 6 data-generating questions about: (a) reasons for participating, (b) perceived challenges and benefits, (c) experiences of quality assurance monitoring, (d) professional growth, (e) value of research, and (f) advice for clinicians considering research involvement. Using thematic content analysis, we identified primary themes and subthemes for each question (20 themes; 30 subthemes). Qualitative analysis revealed not only common challenges, such as reconciling clinical and research responsibilities, but also benefits, including continued professional growth, greater understanding of research processes, and research participation as a way to advocate and advance the profession. Finally, for clinicians interested in becoming involved in research, therapists noted the importance of having workplace support from a mentor, supervisor, and/or administrator; seeking out available resources; and knowing roles and responsibilities before initiating research involvement. Findings offer important insight and recommendations to support the involvement of clinicians in research and support further exploration of clinician involvement in dissemination efforts to improve translation and uptake of research into practice.

A Survey of Music Therapists Working in Pediatric Medical Settings in the United States.

Music therapy is becoming a standard supportive care service in many pediatric hospitals across the United States. However, more detailed information is needed to advance our understanding about current clinical practice and increase availability of pediatric music therapy services. The purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to collect and summarize data about music therapists working in pediatric medical settings. Specifically, we collected information about (1) therapist demographics, (2) organizational structure, (3) service delivery and clinical practice, and (4) administrative/supervisory responsibilities. Board-certified music therapists working in pediatric medical settings (n = 118) completed a 37-item online questionnaire. We analyzed survey data using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings indicated that there is a ratio of approximately one music therapist for every 100 patient beds, that one-third of respondents are the only music therapist in their setting, and that half of the surveyed positions are philanthropically funded. Prioritizing patient referrals based on acuity was common (95.7%, n = 110), with palliative care and pain as the most highly prioritized needs. More than half of respondents reported serving in high acuity areas such as the pediatric intensive care, hematology/oncology, or neonatal intensive care units. We recommend replication of this survey in five years to examine growth and change in service delivery among pediatric music therapists over time, with additional studies to (a) explore how therapist-to-patient ratios influence quality of care, (b) identify factors that contribute to sustainability of programs, and (c) determine how expansion of services support a broader population of patients and families.

Addressing Pain With Inpatient Integrative Medicine at a Large Children's Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric integrative medicine (IM) includes the use of therapies not considered mainstream to help alleviate symptoms such as pain and anxiety. These therapies can be provided in the inpatient setting. METHODS: This 10-week study involved the integration of acupuncture, biofeedback, clinical hypnotherapy, guided imagery, meditation, and music therapy to address pain in children admitted to a large US children's hospital. RESULTS: Of 51 patients enrolled, 60% of the patients, 66% of their mothers, and 56% of their fathers used CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) in the preceding 1 year. Although 51 families requested integrative therapies, only 18 patients received them because of inadequate provider availability. All recorded pain scores improved with integrative therapies. One parent reported a possible side effect of irritability in the child after clinical hypnotherapy while 5 children reported opiate side effects. All participating families interviewed responded that IM services helped their child's pain and helped their child's mood, and that our hospital should have a permanent IM consult service. CONCLUSION: Integrative therapies can be helpful to address pain without significant side effects. Further studies are needed to investigate the integration, cost, and cost-effectiveness of integrative therapies in pediatric hospitals.