Peters recommended the use of “care milestones” to
determine when individual infants are able to tolerate different
types of stimulation. Nurses and parents can assess infants’
physiological and behavioral responses to determine
the most appropriate types and amounts of touch to provide to promote comfort and reduce stress. Physiological cues
that might indicate distress and a need to modify stimulation
include decreased oxygen saturation or heart rate levels and
increased heart rate or blood pressure levels. Behavioral
cues that might indicate distress include increased agitation,
facial grimace, finger splay, grunting, gaze aversion,
and extension of arms and legs.