Bringing Mother's Voice into the NICU

smallTalk™ in the NICU

The smallTalk Connect™ system enables NICU staff to bring each baby the neurologically rich voice of their loved ones right into the crib or incubator.*

Our patented algorithms and hardware make sure that each baby hears the recorded voice at a volume and duration that meets their specific needs.

*Patents pending in the USA and abroad.

A NICU stay can impact brain development

A stay in the NICU can be a major contributor to delays or impairment in the hearing and speech development of infants, due to reduced exposure to caregiver’s voice. Caregiver voice exposure is one of the basic neural building blocks critical for communication and overall brain development.

The power of maternal voice exposure

Caregiver’s voice is proven to increase cardiorespiratory stability and growth, improve deep sleep, and even shorten the length of stay in the NICU. Preterm infants visited more often and exposed to higher amounts of maternal speech while in NICU have improved neurobehavioral and language scores at 18 months.

Easy to implement and nurse-directed

smallTalk provides the care team evidence-based protocols for the use of the Connect™ system in the NICU. As part of the smallTalk system, NICUs will receive a dedicated tablet featuring an app where Mom and family are guided through the recording of simple lullabies and stories. The content is then wirelessly stored on smallTalk’s egg-shaped speaker, ready for delivery to the infant. 

With a tap of a single button on top of the Connect™ speaker, nurses can activate the stored recording which will play at a volume safe for NICU infants and shut off automatically after 20 minutes.

 Throughout the infant’s stay in the NICU, healthcare professionals and family can review the frequency of use, share notes, and arrange for new recordings through the mobile app.

Bring smallTalk to your NICU

Connect with our team to discuss how smallTalk can enrich the sensory environment of your NICU.