(C) University of Alberta
研究者らは音楽が未熟児の痛みを和らげると考えている
カナダの疫学者らの文献調査によると，音楽を流すことで未熟児が早く口でミルクを吸えるようになり，治療などで生じる痛みも和らぐ可能性があるという。特に，おしゃぶりに圧力センサーを付け，吸うと子守唄が流れる装置を使った研究では，この装置のおかげで口から栄養を摂取できる未熟児の割合が高くなった。別の研究では，割礼を施す間に子守唄や童謡を聞かせると痛みが抑えられた。疫学者らは，より厳密な評価が必要だが，音楽を流すのは低コストで，かつ医療資源の節約に貢献するかもしれないと話している。（吉田素子）
As long as there have been babies, adults have crooned(1) lullabies(2) to soothe(3) them. But research suggests music might also help premature infants(4) learn to suckle(5) better and reduce their pain.
If confirmed, this would be a simple, low-cost(6) way to help these tiny babies feed on their own(7) faster and move them out of neonatal units(8) sooner, says Manoj Kumar, an assistant clinical professor(9) in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry(10)'s Department of Pediatrics(11). "If you can get them to feed earlier then you can save health-care resources(12)," he said.
Music also appears to reduce infants' pain during circumcision(13) and some medical procedures, he says.
Music is increasingly being played in neonatal units on an informal basis(14) because parents and caregivers(15) have a perception that(16) it's beneficial(17) for the infants.
Kumar, a clinical epidemiologist(18) who also has training in(19) health economics(20) - and several of his colleagues(21) associated with the Alberta Research Centre for Child Health Evidence in the Department of Pediatrics - decided to conduct(22) a rigorous(23), systematic(24) review of medical literature to see what research has shown.
The results of their review are being published online(25) ahead of print(26) in the London-based(27) journal Archive of Disease in Childhood, Fetal(28) and Neonatal(29) Edition.
Of 180 studies the U of A team examined, nine randomly controlled trials(30) published between 1989 and 2006 met the review criteria(31) and were included.
These nine studies were so different that the review team says it was not possible to reach any definitive(32) conclusion.
(1) ささやくように優しく歌ってきた (2) 子守唄 (3) ～をなだめる (4) 未熟児 (5) 乳を飲む
(6) 低コストの (7) 自力で (8) 新生児病棟 (9) 臨床学講師 (10) 医学部・歯学部 (11) 小児科学
(12) 医療資源 (13) 割礼 (14) 非公式に (15) 世話をする人 (16) ～と認識している (17) 有益な
(18) 臨床疫学者 (19) ～の教育を受けた (20) 医療経済学 (21) 同僚 (22) ～を実施する (23)厳密な
(24) 系統的な (25) オンラインで公開されている (26) 出版に先立って (27) ～を拠点とした
(28) 胎児の (29) 新生児の (30) 無作為化対照試験 (= randomized controlled trials)
(31) 基準 (32) 決定的な
