Florida Children's Hospital Leads in A Different Kind of Healing

Published: 
February 19, 2007

Florida Children's Hospital First in Central Florida to Offer a Different Kind of Healing

See how a musical pacifier is saving some of the littlest patients

      

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 19, 2007 - Premature babies at Florida Children's Hospital at Florida Hospital are the first tiny patients in Central Florida to receive music therapy with the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) System.  The musical pacifier is used as a therapy device that teaches infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) how to suck, swallow, and breathe in a healthy rhythm.   In addition, it helps premature infants feed normally and gain weight.  The sucking action is also believed to play a role in neurological development.  Research shows that preemies increase their suckling rate 2.5 times once exposed to the PAL and leave the hospital an average of 11-12 days sooner with PAL as opposed to those who do not receive the treatments.

The pacifier works by playing a soothing, reinforcing lullaby when an infant sucks the specially wired, pressure-sensitive pacifier and stops playing when the infant stops sucking. Within minutes, preemies weighing as little as three pounds learn how to keep the healing music playing.

"Since the implementation of the PAL at Florida Hospital, we have noticed that babies who are taking in small amounts during feeding time are usually able to take a full bottle after they have had just one PAL treatment," said Amy Robertson, Florida Hospital Board Certified Music Therapist.

With six out of every 100 births occurring prematurely, too-early birth is a critical health problem.  Florida Hospital is the first hospital in the nation to receive reimbursement for music therapy services in the NICU through the PAL and multi-sensory stimulation.

Florida Hospital's Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a 27-bed Level II and a 35-bed Level III that allows Florida Hospital to deliver a complete range of dedicated health services to NICU patients, who benefit from the expertise of specialized departments throughout the hospital.

For more information, contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

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