Study shows that Mozart's music can be a 'painkiller' for babies; understand

Imagine a peaceful scene in a maternity ward, where babies Newborns undergo a routine heel prick test procedure.

At this difficult time for children, a surprising discovery was made by a team of experts from the Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, in New York, United States.

They conducted a study involving 100 babies during foot checks, and the results suggest that music can have a notable effect on reducing the pain experienced by these newborns.

A survey, registered in the journal Pediatric Research, explored the babies' pain levels during the procedure, which involves collecting blood from the little ones' heels.

The results revealed that simply listening to asong bedtime composed by Mozart had a positive impact on reducing the pain that babies felt during the exam.

Foot test to the sound of Mozart

Details of the study revealed a carefully controlled and monitored environment. To assess the impact of Mozart's music on babies' experience during the heel prick test, researchers took a rigorous approach.

They outfitted the babies with noise-cancelling headphones and played guest music, providing a quiet, low-light atmosphere in the room.

The room temperature was kept comfortable, and pacifiers were not provided to the newborns.

Throughout the exam, which lasted 20 minutes before the test and five minutes after, 54 of the 100 babies had the privilege of listening to instrumental compositions by Mozart. Meanwhile, the rest had no soundtrack during the procedure.

The research results revealed a notable difference in pain levels between babies who listened to Mozart and those who had no music during the heel prick test.

(Image: disclosure)

Before the procedure, both groups of babies had similar pain levels, with an average score of zero on a rating ranging from zero to seven.

The scores of babies who were exposed to music increased to an average of 4 during the procedure. This represented a significant reduction in pain perception. This score still quickly dropped to zero, one and two minutes after the exam.

The results suggest that newborns exposed to classical music experienced less pain during and after the heel prick test, compared to the group that did not have a soundtrack.

This finding indicates that recorded instrumental music may be effective in reducing acute pain in infants, providing them with more comfort during sensitive medical procedures.

At Trezeme Digital, we understand the importance of effective communication. We know that every word matters, which is why we strive to deliver content that is relevant, engaging and personalized to meet your needs.