The method

The nurse demonstrated for the parents the childs physiological/inner balance, motory capasity and ability to regulate her/his states through the early-intervention-method. In addition the parents was shown the childs ability to be alert and partisipate in social interaction. In this research project the nurse and the parents use 7 hours the last week before discharge and 4 hours the next 3 months.

After the first examination the nurse was going syatematically through the childs systems of physiological stability/inner balance, the childs motory system and they were observing how the child regulated her/his states in sleep and awake.
Thereafter the nurse and the parents tried to find the childs awaken phase and see the childs ability to social interaction. Often the parents was surpriced that the child had such capasity, because they seldom was able to see the child awake. Here they saw a child that took the callenge by letting the eyes follow the face of the mother or a toy. Premature babies awake periods are often short. The parents were urged to use these ”golden moments”.

The second last hour of intervention at the hospital was about to recognize the childs cues in the everyday care. The parents often picked a situation where they experienced stress. Often the bading-/nursingsituation. With small changes we could make it a good experience for both the child and the parents. The last hour was preparation before going home, a rewiew of what we had learned from the child, and the parents often had questions and thoughts regarding going home.

In the project we made homevisits after about three days. The adjustment to each other at home was the main theme. The second homevisit after two weeks, play and games was the theme. The third homevisit after one month would be about temperament, and the fourth and last visit after three months, summing up and ending the intervention.

The most important task at the homevisits was to support the feeling of control and selfconfidence.