Music therapy program at UCLA aims to help premature infants develop feeding skills

It ’s a Friday morning in January when Jana Gallus, 32, and Gregor Martynus, 35, peek their heads over their triplets’ set of bassinets in their Westwood apartment. Six-month-olds Ada, Kian and Nico are just waking up, kicking with excitement and beaming from ear to ear.It ’s a daily moment that Gallus and Martynus say doesn’t get old. The triplets have come a long way since July, when they were born early, at 31 weeks, with weights ranging from 2.5 to 4 pounds. For 52 days, the trio were cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, atUCLA Mattel Children ’s Hospital.As the UCLA team of nurses, physicians and staff monitored the triplets, the delicate newborns were met by another care team: a group of music therapists using an auditory device aimed at helping preemies develop, feed and grow.Premature infants in the NICU — especially those born before 34 weeks — struggle with oral feeding. They typically haven’t developed the reflex to suck, breathe and swallow, which inhibits their ability to gain weight.It ’s for this reason that music therapist Jenna Bollard sought to study whether a pacifier-activated lullaby device, or PAL, might help. The device is a white, rectangular object about the size of a shoebox with an electronic screen and a pacifier connected via a short cord. Its secret ingredient: t he music it plays — a personal lullaby that parents write, sing and record for their baby with the help of UCLA’s music therapists.UCLA Health â...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news