There are interactions between an individual's neurological thresholds and emotional and behavioral responses or self-regulation strategies. Sensory modulation is an active processing process in which the brain adapts to sensory inputs from the environment by stimulating or inhibiting neurons as required by the current situation. Based on the interaction between an individual's neurological threshold and behavioral responses, Dunn developed four different response categories. These are sensation seeking, avoidance, low registration, and increased sensory sensitivity. From infancy, these processes show appropriate development with natural stimuli. However, sometimes there may be deviations in development from early infancy. One of them is the NICU, which is necessary to support vital functions. Decreased spontaneous movements for any reason and exposure to excessive sensory stimuli in this environment may cause negative consequences for the normal sensory and motor development of the baby.Babies who stay in the NICU for a long time stay away from natural sensory stimuli. Newborn preterm infants receive less tactile and vestibular stimulation in the NICU than does prenatal maternal movement. However, they are exposed to increased stimulus with other negative stimuli such as bright lights, high noise levels, excessive use and frequent painful interventions, which are not found in the intrauterine environment in the NICU. This can have lasting effects on the developing brain and affect the natural development of sensory systems. In the studies conducted, a significant difference was found between term babies and preterm babies in terms of sensory profile scores. Studies examining the relationship between sensory processing parameters and motor development in infants are limited in the literature. There is also a need for studies examining the relationship between sensory-motor development from the neonatal period. It is thought that preterm infants are exposed to these negative sensory stimuli longer. Neurodevelopmental follow-up is required after discharge in these infants with biological sensitivity and risk of neurological injury.The aim of this study is to examine the motor and sensory development of high-risk infants and compare them with their peers.
In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), infants encounter many sensory stimuli (excessive noise, bright lights, painful medical applications, etc.) that are not present in the uterus. During the critical period of brain development, this sensory overload affects the physiological responses of infants; It can lead to sensory processing problems by causing negative changes in motor, neurological and sensory development. Sensory processing was explained by Dunn as the emergence of appropriate reactions and behaviors in neurological processes in which visual, auditory, tactile, oral, olfactory, vestibular, proprioceptive and kinesthetic inputs are regulated.