Fig. 1: Factors influencing infants’ quality of sleep during their NICU stay.

The infant at risk in its environment of possible sleep disruptors: Light, noise, monitoring and alarms (especially in NICUs/PICUs), diagnostic procedures such as blood takes, physical examinations and ultrasound, nursing activities, the underlying disease itself e.g. myelomeningocele, congenital heart disease, Down syndrome, prematurity, and treatments such as medication e.g. sedatives, surgery, mechanical ventilation.