Special Care Nursery Story

Therapists in the Special Care Nursery (SCN) work closely within the team of doctors and nurses to provide neuroprotective care for each infant to decrease environmental stress, according to Rosanna Harmon, occupational therapist for Memorial. Recently, Harmon received the Neonatal Touch and Massage certification and became one of 2,400 people certified in this specialty nationwide.

Therapists in the Special Care Nursery (SCN) work closely within the team of doctors and nurses to provide neuroprotective care for each infant to decrease environmental stress, according to Rosanna Harmon, occupational therapist for Memorial. Recently, Harmon received the Neonatal Touch and Massage certification and became one of 2,400 people certified in this specialty nationwide.

“Neonatal massage is provided to pre-term infants in the special care nursery on an individualized basis focusing on developmental goals,” Harmon said. “Over the last four years, I have learned so much while working in the SCN, and I wanted to expand that knowledge. Participating in the training allowed me to learn from nationally recognized therapists and improve my skills.”

Memorial’s Rehabilitation Services department sponsored Harmon’s training, which consisted of online education and two in-person days of hands-on training. Harmon emphasized that pre-term infants are at an increased risk for sensorimotor integration deficits.

“These deficits can affect play skills, social skills, success in school settings, and independence with selfcare as children grow,” she said. “Although the exact cause is still being investigated, it is recognized that the stress on the infant due to environmental influences on a still developing brain is a contributing factor.”

Harmon said neonatal touch and massage sessions are designed to promote age-appropriate movement patterns and developmental goals such as maintaining physiological flexion and bringing hands to midline.

“Some of the benefits of infant massage include improved sleep, decreased stress signs, and improved growth or weight gain,” she said. “I will be able to provide therapeutic touch massage and trigger point release for pre-term infants and infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome to promote normal developmental movement patterns.”

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a group of conditions caused when a baby withdraws from certain drugs he's exposed to in the womb before birth.

“Neonatal touch massage is very beneficial to infants experiencing NAS,” Harmon said. “Muscle tightness with abnormal movement patterns is one symptom of NAS. As a therapist trained in massage and trigger point release specific to infants, I can use the techniques I learned in this course to bring comfort and improved movement patters to this special population.”

Harmon said her goal as a therapist is to provide neuroprotective individualized therapy to each infant as well as parent education to promote continued progress with developmental goals following their discharge home.

“I am very thankful that Memorial Hospital allowed me to attend this training,” she said. “I feel very privileged that I get to work in our SCN with a great team of nurses, doctors, and therapists.”