Newborn Cortical Response to Pain and Non Pharmacological Analgesia

Cortical Pain Processing in Full Term Infants, After Giving Different Non-pharmacological Analgesia

Minor painful procedures are frequently performed on newborn infants and non-pharmacological analgesia is commonly used. As more than one analgesic method may be applied simultaneously in clinical practice, the relative contribution and efficacy of analgesic components still needs to be further elucidated. In the present study neonatal cortical brain response during four types of non-pharmacological analgesia (oral glucose, expressed breastmilk, maternal holding plus oral glucose, maternal holding plus breastfeeding) will be studied. The aim is to assess the differential effect of oral solutions (glucose, breastmilk), when given alone or in combination with maternal relationship (holding, breastfeeding). The study will test the hypothesis that the mother-infant relationship would improve the analgesic effect of oral solutions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Full term healthy infants, needing a heel-prick for metabolic screening;
• Informed consent obtained from parents.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Presence of sedation or analgesia (other than non pharmacological analgesia given during the experimental procedure)