Minimal handling, wrapping (see Figure 3), neonatal individualized development care/assessment program, kangaroo care
and breast feeding involving mother of the preterm babies, are very important to reduce negative stimulation of the infants
in NIV and to reduce the need of pharmacological pain management [8]. It has been demonstrated that iatrogenic pain is aserious problem (particularly for ELBW infants born < 28 wks) [26] with negative effects on neurological development and
with the risk of agitation and of influence on cerebral hemodynamics [27]. For this reason it may be useful to reduce the
number of procedures (e.g. manipulation on the CPAP prongs) especially in course of respiratory support and to use
simple and effective pain-relief methods such as non-nutritive sucking or glucose solution (e.g. 2ml of 25% glucose
solution through a syringe) [28, 29]. However when non-pharmacological intervention is not efficient, the use of opioids
(e.g. bolus dose of fentanyl or morphine i.v.) is allowed. Nurses (at least each turn of daily job) have to assess and register
pain state of the infants in respiratory support in order to help physicians to prescribe pharmacological pain management.
A pacifier will be offered to the infant in NIV, especially all infants needing high pressure levels for lung volume
recruitment in the acute phase of RDS. Not only as non-pharmacological management of pain, but also to reduce the leak
of the “continuous distending pressure” during CPAP from the mouth. An orogastric tube must be positioned for gastric
detention to avoid gastrointestinal distention or perforation.