Problems with Home Care of Low-birth-weight Infants: “Use of Little Baby Handbook” to Support Low-birth-weight Infants and Families (Mothers)

Abstract

Low-birth-weight infants may have various health problems, such as physical growth delay or cerebral palsy, and their mothers may be very anxious or exhausted while rearing them at home. However, public services of the Japanese government for home care of these children and their families are insufficient both in quality and quantity and do not meet their needs. For that reason, 'Little Baby Handbook' was developed for the mothers of low-birth-weight infants. It complements the mother's knowledge and the insufficiency of public assistance for low-birth-weight infants by including information on the growth, development, and childcare of low-birth-weight infants.