The baby as a person not as a patient: using the NBO in paediatric primary care in an urban Spanish setting

Alvarez, M. A. THE BABY AS A PERSON NOT AS A PATIENT: USING THE NBO IN PAEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE IN AN URBAN SPANISH SETTING. Presented at WAIMH, Edinburgh, 2014. 

Abstract

Introduction: The quality of early relationships between parents and infants is critical to the socioemotional, cognitive and physical development of children. The baby’s temperament and self-regulation are crucial for parent-infant interaction and though partially related to genetics, the epigenetic model suggests that environmental conditions in early life can modify it.

Method: The NBO, an interactive relationship-based tool designed to promote positive parent-child relationship, was administered to 300 families during the first paediatric well–child visit. Unlike the traditional medical approach, where the baby is examined in isolation, the NBO requires the clinician to always observe the baby in the presence of the parents. The NBO “gives a voice to the baby”- by pointing out the individual characteristics of the baby, the baby’s strengths and challenges and the capacity for self-regulation. The parents are actively involved as partners in the session, so that the NBO “gives a voice to parents.”

Results: Results showed that the NBO produced a significant increase in parent’s knowledge of child behavior (p = .0001). It also helped the paediatrician communicate with parents and thus create a therapeutic alliance with them.

Conclusions: The NBO is a useful tool that can enhance the parent-infant relationship and can be easily added to the traditional well-child visit in paediatric primary care.