From Hospital to Home: Continuity Between Skin-to-Skin Care and Later Verbal Engagement in Infants Born Preterm

Pamela M Rios; Virginia A Marchman; Molly F Lazarus; Nuria L Ontiveros Perez; Melissa Scala; Katherine E Travis; Heidi M Feldman

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114837

From Hospital to Home: Continuity Between Skin-to-Skin Care and Later Verbal Engagement in Infants Born Preterm

J Pediatr. 2026 Jan:288:114837. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114837. Epub 2025 Sep 26.

Authors

Pamela M Rios¹, Virginia A Marchman², Molly F Lazarus³, Nuria L Ontiveros Perez¹, Melissa Scala⁴, Katherine E Travis³, Heidi M Feldman⁵

Affiliations

¹ Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
² Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA; Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
³ Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA; Department of Pediatrics, Burke-Cornell Medical Research Institute, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY.
⁴ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
⁵ Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA. Electronic address: hfeldman@stanford.edu.

PMID: 41016462
PMCID: PMC12587772 (available on 2026-09-26)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114837

Abstract

This descriptive cohort study documented continuity between family-delivered skin-to-skin care rates for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and amounts of child-directed speech at child age 9 months. Involvement in skin-to-skin care may be an early marker of caregiver-infant engagement and a target for early interventions that support positive caregiver-infant interactions.

Keywords: NICU; caregiver–infant interactions; child-directed speech; day-long LENA recordings; developmental care; home environment; kangaroo care.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
Kangaroo-Mother Care Method*
Male
Verbal Behavior*

Grants and funding

R01 HD069150/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States