NEOVIDEO : Impact of Monitoring Motor Activity by Video Analysis on the Sleep of Very Preterm Infants

Very premature birth and the necessary hospitalization expose to a risk of morbidity and mortality which impacts the neurodevelopmental prognosis. Sleep and behavior monitoring have not been developed in the neonatal units. This has to be improved since it is known from clinical and animal studies that the quality, organization and quantity of sleep in very preterm infants impact neurological development and brain plasticity. The collection system provide neonatal care nurse with access to motion curves (evaluated by signal processing of live video) and real-time infrared video (also available in low-light conditions). This new non-invasive technology allows an evaluation of the activity cycles of the newborn by the caregivers which until now was only accessible occasionally by short recordings of actigraphy or polysomnography. The investigators wish to demonstrate that this can contribute to an organization of care that respects the sleep patterns of the newborn, which they know to condition the neurodevelopmental prognosis.

According to the EuroPeristat 2014 report, 1% of births are very preterm infants. Very premature birth and the necessary hospitalization expose to a risk of morbidity and mortality which impacts the neurodevelopmental prognosis. Sleep and behavior monitoring have not been developed in the neonatal units. This has to be improved since it is known from clinical and animal studies that the quality, organization and quantity of sleep in very preterm infants impact neurological development and brain plasticity. The publications suggest that alterations in sleep could have a significant impact on acquisitions in the areas of learning, memory, sensory development and behavior, as well as in the area of cardiorespiratory regulation. It has been shown that the implementation of developmental care practices (taking into account lighting, noise, the position of newborns and their rhythms) could have short-term beneficial effects on the sleep of very preterm infants. However, studies remain very limited in number. The investigators propose to build on the infrastructure developed as part of the H2020 DigiNewB project (http://www.digi-newb.eu/), which can provide neonatal care providers with access to motion curves (evaluated by signal processing of live video) and real-time infrared video (also available in low-light conditions).The collection system is functional, allows continuous analysis of videos to quantify movement and is suitable for incubators and neonatal beds. This new non-invasive technology allows an evaluation of the activity cycles of the newborn by the caregivers which until now was only accessible occasionally by short recordings of actigraphy or polysomnography. The investigators wish to demonstrate that this can contribute to an organization of care that respects the sleep patterns of the newborn, which they know to condition the neurodevelopmental prognosis.