The Assessment of Sleep and Wake State of Premature Infants Hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and It's Relation with Demographic Variables

The correct development of sleep and wake immature states of premature infant has important role in maturation of brain; but often, healthcare personnel neglect from this dimension of development and there are limited data about sleep and wake states of premature infant hospitalized in NICU. The aim of this study was to assessing the states of sleep and wake of premature infant and its relation with demographic variables. In a descriptive-analytical study, 70 premature infant hospitalized in NICU constantly were selected based on the needed criteria. The sleep and wake state of infants were recorded with use of behavioral sleep and wake scale of Als. Scale validity was performed using its content analysis, translation, and reliability by Pearson coefficient. The results showed that infants in sleep state had maximum rate of light sleep 3.65±3.27 and minimum rate of deep sleep 0.24±1.05 and in wake state had maximum rate of active awake 1.90±2.09 and minimum rate of quietly awake 0.18±0.68. Also Infants had states with stress 7.75±1.96 more than states without stress 3.65±3.27. Regression analysis showed no significant relation between gestational age and weight of infants with deep sleep and quietly awake. In this study premature infant were mostly in undesirable states of sleep and wake that this may lead to growing and developmental disorders of brain.