RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Compare responses of nonexposed and drug-exposed newborns to auditory, tactile, visual, and vestibular (ATVV) intervention. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective design with random assignment of drug-exposed (N=45) and nonexposed (N=72) newborns to control and experimental groups. METHODS: Experimentals received 15 minutes of ATVV twice after birth. Infant behavioral state (IBS) and pulse rate (PR) were measured. RESULTS: The nonexposed and drug-exposed control groups (p=0.021) differed on the distribution of IBS yet no differences were noted between the two experimental groups. Nonexposed and drug-exposed experimentals experienced more alertness and less quiet sleep than controls (p<0.05). PR and IBS were significantly correlated for all but the drug-exposed control group (nonexposed control, r=0.938, p=0.006; nonexposed experimental, r=0.979, p=0.001; drug-exposed experimental, r=0.955, p=0.003). Within the combined (control+experimental) drug-specific groups, only polydrug-exposed infants demonstrated such a correlation (r=0.584, p=0.046). A significant correlation was also identified within the cocaine-exposed group for the experimentals only (r=0.992, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The ATVV promoted normal physiologic and behavioral function.
