SENSORY-MOTOR STIMULATION IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS: A PHYSIOTHERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Introduction: Prematurity involves neurological, motor, sensory, and cardiorespiratory immaturity, making preterm newborns more vulnerable to stimuli in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In this context, sensory-motor stimulation (SMS) emerges as a physiotherapeutic resource aimed at neurobehavioral organization and neuropsychomotor development. Objective: To investigate, from the perspective of physiotherapy, the main repercussions of SMS in preterm newborns admitted to NICUs. Methodology: This is an integrative, descriptive, and qualitative literature review, carried out in databases such as SciELO, PubMed, PEDro, and VHL, including articles published between 2016 and 2026, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. After applying the eligibility criteria, five studies were analyzed. Results and discussion: SMS, especially tactile-kinesthetic, oral, and multimodal approaches, showed benefits in behavioral organization, sucking, breastfeeding, muscle tone maturation, physiological stability, and reduction of pain, stress, and length of hospital stay. Conclusion: SMS presents relevant benefits for preterm newborns in NICUs, provided that it is applied individually and by trained professionals, although more standardized protocols are still needed.