Parental Participation in NICU-Based Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech and Language Therapy: A Qualitative Study

Background:

Parent involvement in neonatal care is beneficial to families and infant outcomes. Few studies have explored parental experiences of neonatal therapy participation.

Purpose:

This study had 2 purposes: (1) to explore parental attitudes and beliefs about participating in neonatal therapies and (2) to identify barriers and facilitators to parental involvement and suggest ways to optimize neonatal therapy services.

Methods:

The study design and data analysis were informed by constructivist grounded theory methods. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 9 mothers of children who had received neonatal therapy.

Findings:

After an early period of fear and powerlessness, a transition point occurred where the survival of their infant became more certain and parents were able to consider the future. At this point, participation in therapies was perceived to be more relevant. Therapy participation was experienced as a means of regaining autonomy and control in a context of trauma, but parents encountered barriers related to accessing therapists and external demands on their time.

Implications for Practice:

Parental participation is best facilitated by frequent and flexible access to neonatal therapists and staffing levels should reflect this. On commencing therapy, parents should be given therapists' contact details to maximize opportunities for face-to-face encounters.

Implications for Research:

Future research is needed to explore parental readiness to participate in therapies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Research exploring the impact of parental involvement in therapies over a longer time frame would be beneficial. Finally, there is a need to determine efficacy and effectiveness of parent-delivered neonatal therapies.