The Effectiveness of Various Soothing Techniques on Human Neonates

In a study of the efficacy of soothing stimuli presented in different sensory modalities to human neonates, auditory, oral, vestibular, and thermal stimuli were compared and a nonstimulus control period was included. Behavioral ratings and heart rate measurements indicated that the soothing stimuli were all effective as compared with the control period, but no one stimulus was more effective than any other. Neonates could be characterized by over-all differences in their ability to be soothed. On the test-retest data, infants were consistent both on measures of over-all soothability and in terms of the individual soothing agents which proved most effective.