noushin beheshtipoor

A Premature infants undergo multiple painful procedures during treatment; thus, it must be tried to limit complications caused by diagnostic and treatment procedures using simple and practical methods. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of spike lavender lakhlakhe on pain intensity due to phlebotomy in hospitalized premature infants.
This single-arm, randomized clinical trial was performed on 30 infants chosen through convenience sampling method. Each newborn was considered as its own control. For the test group, one drop of pure (100%) spike lavender lakhlakhe was taken by a standard dropper and diluted with 4 ml of warm distilled water by the research assistant. This mixture was stirred at 2-3 cm distance of the newborns’ nose from 60 minutes before until 2 minutes after phlebotomy, such that it could be smelled by the newborns. In both groups, heart rate and blood oxygen saturation were measured by a standard portable device, and the corresponding data was recorded in data collection sheets. Moreover, the infants’ facial expression changes were recorded by a camera and the intensity of pain was measured by Premature Infant Pain Profile before and after the procedure. Finally, the data was analyzed by paired comparison analysis test in SPSS, version 17.
Comparison of mean pain intensity caused by phlebotomy in the control and test groups showed a significant difference (7.667±0.311 vs. 4.882±0.311; P Spike lavender lakhlakheh can be used as an easy, available, and safe method to decrease infants’ pain during phlebotomy procedure.

The problems caused by haemophilia lead to impairments of the quality of life in patients with haemophilia. This study aimed to investigate the effects of yoga on quality of life in the children and adolescents with haemophilia in Shiraz, Iran. This semi-experimental study with pre- and post-test design was performed on 27 boys between 8 and 16 years old who suffered from haemophilia. The patients were divided into two groups. The number of bleedings, absences from school, and referrals to the clinic was evaluated. The demographic data were collected through interviews and using the patients’ records in the haemophilia center. Besides, the quality of life was assessed through the Haemo-QoL questionnaire. Then, the yoga intervention was performed for 14 weeks and the data were collected in three stages. The collected data were entered into the SPSS statistical software, version 18 and were analyzed using non-parametric Friedman test. After the intervention, significant differences were observed in the mean scores of quality of life dimensions and the number of bleedings, school absences, and referrals to the haemophilia clinic (P<0.001). Thus, yoga may improve the haemophilia children’s and adolescents’ perception of quality of life without the risk of injury. This intervention also seemed to be effective in reducing the number of bleedings, referrals to the haemophilia clinic, and absences from school.

Due to the higher risk of pain in preterm infants, pain management is important for such infants. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of kangaroo care on the severity of pain and physiological parameters after heel-stick in preterm infants. This was a prospective and randomized controlled cross-over study. Twenty preterm infants allocated into an intervention (30 minutes of kangaroo care before and throughout heel-stick) and a control condition (standard incubator care during heel-stick). The severity of pain and the physiological parameters (heart rate and oxygen saturation) were collected after the heel-stick procedure. The pain mean scores in the intervention and control conditions were respectively 4.9 (SD=2.91) and 11.00 (SD=4.21) and a significant difference was found between the two conditions regarding the pain score 30 seconds after the heel-stick [t=5.33, p<0.001]. Moreover, a significant difference between the two conditions concerning the infants'' heart rate (F=3.73, p<0.0001) and oxygen saturation (F=1.84, p<0.0001) was demonstrated during the three study periods. In order to relieve the preterm infants'' pain and prevent quick acceleration and deceleration of heart rate and oxygen saturation in the intervention condition, the intervention is recommended to be done in a nursery.

Preterm infants need to be hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and receive specific systematic care in order to survive. Nonetheless, long hospital stay leads to parents’ separation from the infant and disturbance in the family life. It also has many undesirable effects on the infant. The present study aimed to determine the effect of family-centered empowerment program on the weight and duration of hospital stay of the infants in NICU. In this clinical trial, 100 mothers with preterm infants hospitalized in NICU were divided into an intervention and a control groups. The mothers in the empowerment group took part in a multi-stage training program and received the necessary information regarding preterm infants and how to cooperate in taking care of them through face-to-face training, working at the bedside, educational film, and illustrated booklet. Then, the weight of the infants in the two groups and duration of hospital stay were compared. The mean length of hospital stay was 10.5±7.7 and 17.4±11.2 days in the intervention and the control group, respectively, and the results of independent T-test showed that the difference was statistically significant (P=0.001). The mean of weight changes was -42.4±172.9 grams in the control group and -22.6±162.0 grams in the intervention group; no significant difference was found between the two groups (P=0.556). The family-centered empowerment program in the NICU significantly reduced the infants’ length of hospital stay, but had no effects on their weights.

Phyto therapy or herbal therapy is one of the major branches of CAM that has been common in many countries, including Iran, since a long time ago. It was used as a rich source of pharmaceutical ingredients in various diseases. This study aimed to investigate the use of herbal medicines in the newborns referring to neonatal emergency department.

The present descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 parents of the infants admitted to the neonatal emergency department. A questionnaire was used to collect the information about the newborns and their parents, using herbal medicines, type of herbal drugs used for the infants, existence or absence of complications, and the person recommending the use of herbal medicines. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software and descriptive statistics.

The results showed that 24 parents (80%) had used or were using herbal therapies for their infants. These drugs included Jujube, Purgative manna, Manna of hedysarum, Fumitory, Chicory, Castor oil, Ghee butter, Torbak lips, Frankincense and Rock sugar, Sisymbrium irio, Plantago major, Violet flower, Citrus limetta, Thymus vulgaris, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Cassia, and Garden morus and the highest rate was related to Jujube, Purgative manna, and Manna of hedysarum. Besides, 70% and 30% of these drugs were recommended by grandmothers and medicinal herbs sellers, respectively. According to the results, 95.2% of the parents believed that these drugs had no complications, while 4.8% had observed toxicity. In addition, 83.3% of the parents had also used these drugs for their previous children and reported their positive impact.

Considering the fact that 80% of the parents had used herbal medicines for their infants, herbal medicines are recommended to be used under a physician's supervision and recorded in the patient's medical records.