• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compared the growth and development of premature and full-term infants during the 2 years after birth. Method: The participants were 102 infants, 51 each for premature infants, and for healthy full-term infants. Participants in the premature group accounted for 17.5% of all premature infants who were registered at the public health center in G city. Developmental status was evaluated using the Korean Denver II. Results: The catch-up growth of the premature was 100% in weight and in height. Suspicious developmental delay according to the Korean Denver II was 3.9% in normal infants and 31.2% in premature infants. Factors related to the suspicious developmental delay in premature infants were their age and health state at birth. The rate of suspicious developmental delay was higher in infants over 6 months and infants unhealthy at birth. Conclusion: A premature follow-up program, which includes nutrition education to achieve catch-up growth and to prevention obesity, along with continuous developmental screening test for infants and children born prematurely is recommended. Provision for home visits and telephone counseling for premature infants and their families who do not to use the public health center should also be included.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.73-93
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• 2005

This paper on an experiment, using System Dynamics, on the affect of increase in number of beds and medical instruments used for the care of premature infants, which constitute the physical requirements in quality of medical services, on changes in the survival rate of premature in ants that leads to demographic changes of Newborn infants. The model has four sectors: take-in capacity, survival rate of premature infants, demographics without newborn infants and demographics with newborn infants. The model simulates the changes in demographics of the newborn infants from 2002 to 2022. The study results show that the survival rate of premature infants can be increased by improving the physical aspects in the quality of medical services. An average of 1,900 premature infants can survive as a result of the physical quality improvements in medical services, adding up to an increase of 37,300 newborn infants by the year 2022.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.152-160
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• 2008

Purpose: It has been attempted to support mother of premature infants by providing information of premature infant care using e-Learning because premature infants need continuous care from birth to after discharge. Method: The e-Learning Program for mother of premature was developed with Xpert, Namo web editor, Adobe Photoshop, and PowerPoint and applied for 4 weeks from 4 to 30 September 2006. Result: 1) We found that the contents of information which premature infants' need when being in the hospital and after discharge were the definition of a premature infant, orientation of NICU, care of premature infants, care of premature infants' common diseases, the connection of healthcare resources, exchange of information, and the management of rearing stress. 2) The program content consisted of cause of premature birth, comparison to full-term baby, physiology character, orientation of NICU, common health problems, follow up care, infection control, feeding, normal development physically and mentally, weaning method, and vaccination. Conclusion: Considering the results, this program for mother of premature is a useful means to provide premature-care information to mothers. This information can be readily accessible and can be varied and complex enough to be able to help mothers to the information and assistance they require.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2009

In recent years, reductions in infant mortality have mainly been accomplished by improving the survival of premature and low birth weight infants, however premature infants still remain at great risk. The purpose of this study was to review the maternal child health service related to premature infants and to provide a future direction for improving maternal child health (MCH) in Korea. We reviewed two MCH services which are directly related to premature infants: 1) a registry and financial support program for families with a premature infant, and 2) financial support to build neonatal intensive care units in rural public hospitals. Suggestions are made for the development of a national vital signs record system to identify high risk infants and to monitor the trends in infant mortality due to prematurity. Prevention efforts and preconception care for childbearing women is also an important strategy to reduce the rate of preterm births. Finally, we need consider long-term follow-up plans for premature infants for a successful transit to the special education system. Developing MCH policy related to premature infants that decreases the occurrence of premature may decrease infant mortality, and also improve maternal and child health services.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.123-136
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• 2005

This research is to compare the infant's temperament and parenting stress perceived by premature infants' mother and full-term infants' mother. It aims at establishing the healthy relationship between mothers and infants. It investigates the basic data of nursing intervention program to help the mother of premature infant. The period of data collection was from May 1, 2005 to May 30, 2005, and the subjects were total 123 mothers: 44 mothers of premature infants and 79 mothers of full-term infants under 6 months who visited general hospitals, individual pediatrics, and health center located in G city. "What My Baby Is Like(WBL)" developed by Pridham, Chang, and Chiu(1994) and translated by Bang Kyeong Sook(1999) was used as a measuring instrument of infants' temperament, and Parenting Stress Index (PSI) developed by Abidin(1990) and revised and complemented by Kim Dong Hee(1997) was used as a measuring instrument of parenting stress. Collected Data were analyzed through $X^2$-test, t-test, Pearson's correlation with SPSS 12.0 window program. The results are as follows: 1. There was a significant difference in the infant's temperament perceived by premature infants' mothers and full-term infants' mothers (t=-4.08, p=.00). In subcategory, there were significant difference between premature infants' mother and full-term infants' mother in geniality(t=-3.62, p=.00), adaptation(t=-3.43, p=.00) and reaction(t=-2.01, p=.05). 2. There was a significant difference in parenting stress between premature infants' mother and full-term infants' mother(t=6.57, p=.00). The parenting stress of premature infants mothers appeared to be higher than full-term infants' mothers. They showed the higher stress in the mother-child relationship area(t=6.27, p=.00) and child area(t=7.38, p=.00) among 3 areas of parenting stress. 3. There were negative correlation between infants' temperament and parenting stress. As mothers perceived the infant's temperament negatively, the parenting stress. Especially, the negative correlation of infants' temperament and parenting stress of premature infants' mothers(r=-.44) was stronger than that of full-term infants' mothers(r=-37). From the research, as mothers of premature infants receive more stress, their stress can cause the serious problem to the relationship of the mother and the infant. Therefore, the nursing intervention should be carried out in order to change the negative perception of mothers towards their infants into the positive perception reduce the parenting stress.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.124-134
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• 1990

To investigate nutritional and growth status of premature infants, survey was conducted against 19 premature infants admitted to Nursery of Pediatrics, Young nam University Hospital from Jan. 1984 to July 1988. Variations in feeding patterns as analyzed through the five feeding phases of dextrose, dextrose/hyperal, dextrose/formula, dextrose/hyperal/formula and formula. During 30days from birth, dietary intake, feeding phase, selective anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and demograpic information of premature infants were as follows: Distributions of birth weight by gestational age and apgar score showed preamture infants below 1499g were 31 weeks, 4/7(1min/5min) and premature infants from 1500g to 1999g were 33 weeks, 8/9(1min/5min) and premature infants from 2000g to 2500g were 33 weeks, 8/9(1min/5min). Average calorie intakes of premature infants below 1499g, premature infants from 1500g to 1999g and premature infants from 2000g to 2500g were 102.0㎉/kg/day, 119.3㎉/kg/day and 101.7㎉/kg/day. The mean values Na, K, Ca, P for all premature infants remained within the normal level for full term infants throughtout the 25days of this study period. Percentages of inital weight loss showned premature infants below 1499g were 5.4%, premature infants from 1500g to 1999g were 6.4%, premature infants from 2000g to 2500g were 11.4%. Percentages of inital weight loss of the amino acid injection group and the amino acid control group were 9.4% and 9.0%.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.138-145
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• 2008

Purpose: This study, using a pre-posttest design of non-equivalence comparative groups, was done to determine effects of KC (kangaroo care) on weight and SH (stress hormone) of premature infants. Method: Participants were 31 premature infants assigned to KC(14) or CG(control group)(17). Data were collected from June 2006 to February 2007. KC was given for 60 minutes at a time, Mon, Wed, and Fri for a 10 times. Body weight was measured at a fixed time daily and serum cortisol was examined as part of routine blood testing, frequent for premature infants. Results: The weight for infants in the KC group was higher than the control. The difference was significant between both the two groups, and the 2 measurement times(F=12.7, p=.001). SH(cortisol) in infants of KC group decreased than CG, but there was no valid difference from the statistical viewpoint. Conclusion: The result of the study suggest that KC contributes to weight increase in premature infants and also that KC is effective for SH reduction in spite of the lack of statistical validity. Therefore, our conclusion is that KC can be used as an independent nursing intervention for development and advance of premature infants.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2002

Purpose: Knowing the accurate gestational age(GA) is critical in nursing care of premature infants. A descriptive study was performed to examine the reliability and clinical applicability of the New Ballard examination(NBE) in premature infants. Method: A NBE was performed to measure GA by assessing the neuromuscular and physical maturity in the course of physical examination of a convenient sample of 74 premature infants. Result: 1. The highest item of NBE score was posture (mean=2.82) and the lowest item was breast (mean=1.84). 2. There was a highly correlation between both the GA by LMP(GA-LMP) and GA by NBE (GA-NBE)(r=.844, p=.000). 3. There was a greater positive relationship in neuromuscular maturity than physical maturity in the GA-NBE of the premature infants(r=.786 vs r=.933). 4. There was a positive correlation between neuromuscular, physical, total maturity, GA-LMP and GA-NBE in the birth weight, length, 1, 5 minute apgar score. 5. There was no significant difference neuromuscular, physical, total maturity in NBE by delivery history. Conclusion: The study supports the reliability a clinical relevance of NBE in assessment of the accurate GA in premature infants.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.259-264
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a positioning education program through the brochure or oral explanations for the parents of premature infants with a brain lesion and investigated the satisfaction level of physical therapy of parents of premature infants with a brain lesion. Methods: Forty parents of premature infants with a brain lesion participated in this study. The recruited premature infants were randomized into groups A (n=20) and B (n=20) for the purpose of the positioning education method through brochure or oral explanations. The level of satisfaction and recognition for the positioning education program was investigated by the parents of 12 month old infants. The gross motor function, measure-88, was examined at three months, six months, nine months, and twelve months of the corrected age. Results: No significant differences in the recognition of the position education program, level of satisfaction of the environment, and the attitude of the therapist were noted (p>0.05). Significantly high levels of satisfaction with the program of group B given the brochure were noted. The gross motor function measure-88 was also similar in both groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that the parents were satisfied with the positioning education program of the brochure. The differences in educational methods did not affect the development of premature infants.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 1998

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(IHPS) is common in full-term babies, and relatively rare in prematures. The diagnosis of IHPS in premature infants may be obscured because of the lack of classic symptoms and signs and the absence of the standard criteria for ultrasonic diagnosis. The purpose of this study is to discover the clinical differences between premature and full-term infants with pyloric stenosis, and determine the appropriate diagnostic methods for early diagnosis in premature infants. The clinical records of 52 IHPS patients who had been operated upon from October, 1994 to April, 1997 were reviewed. The incidence of IHPS in premature infants was 25 %. The onset of symptom was 4.7 weeks of age in premature, and 2.9 weeks in full-term babies. Diagnosis was established by typical symptoms. signs. and diagnostic imaging studies. In two premature infants, diagnosis was confirmed by upper gastrointestinal(GI) series, because ultrasonography did not meet the diagnostic criteria. Two premature infants initially diagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux by esophagography. were found to have IHPS by upper GI series. For the diagnosis of IHPS, a new set of criteria for premature babies has to be developed.