The Effect of Cranial Osteopathy Intervention in Preterm Babies

Babies born at or before the 37th week of pregnancy are defined as preterm babies. While the number of premature babies has increased in recent years, the survival rates of preterm babies have also increased with the development of neonatal intensive care units. Neurodevelopmental problems can be seen at a higher rate in premature babies compared to term babies. In preterm births, birth occurs at critical stages of brain and nervous system development in the baby. It has been stated in the literature that even late preterm babies may experience problems in sensory processing and regulation stages. The addition of factors such as neonatal intensive care history to preterm birth causes them to score even lower in terms of sensory profile compared to term babies. It has been stated that preterm babies are in the high-risk group in terms of sensory processing problems. In a systematic review conducted in 2019, it was stated that premature babies and children have sensory modulation problems at a rate of 28-87%; sensory processing problems at a rate of 9-70%, and sensory-based motor processing problems at a rate of 20-70%.

Colic in babies; It is a condition characterized by sudden, persistent and restless crying in a generally healthy situation. Abdominal bloating and irritability often accompany the crying. It is difficult for the baby to calm down and fall asleep.Although the etiopathogenesis of colic in the neonatal period has not been fully determined, it has been stated that the underdeveloped nervous system, gastrointestinal system and stress factors are triggers. Studies have shown that the frequency of colic increases as the baby's gestational age decreases.

Sleep is the primary activity of the developing brain in early life, so it is not surprising that sleep plays a very important role in brain development. The existence of a sleep-wake cycle, sleep architecture and the percentage of the 24-hour period spent sleeping in the neonatal period have been associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes.

The importance of early intervention in preterm babies is emphasized in the literature. Although there are no protocol-determined intervention methods for babies in the developmental risk group, it has been recommended to start developmental intervention as early as possible. Osteopathic manual therapy applications consist of drug-free, non-invasive, and manually applied methods. They are important methods used to contribute to the health of babies. The focus is on tissue tensions that occur especially in the cranial regions of babies. There are a limited number of studies in the literature on the effectiveness of cranial osteopathic applications. No study has been found on the effect of cranial osteopathy on the sensory profile of the baby. Although there are studies evaluating the relationship between the baby's sleep quality and colic symptoms, different results have been obtained. This study was planned to contribute to the literature by investigating the effect of cranial osteopathy on the sensory profile, sleep quality and colic symptoms in premature babies. In the study, in addition to obtaining evidence-based data on cranial osteopathic applications, it was aimed to examine the effects on the sensory profile, sleep quality, colic symptoms and motor performance of preterm babies.

Inclusion criteria

• Premature birth (<37 weeks)
• Corrected age <6 weeks.
• Discharged to home
• Stable condition
• Family agrees to continue home program

Exclusion criteria

• Having a congenital cyanotic heart problem,
• Being born earlier than 28 weeks,
• The family not accepting to participate in the study,
• Neglecting check-ups and sessions,
• Using a respiratory appliance,
• Presence of craniosynostosis,
• Being included in another physiotherapy program during the study period