ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 explores the experiential life of the child born prematurely. The construct ‘disorganized behavior’ (as described in the Synactive Theory of Development literature, the theoretical basis of the internationally recognized Newborn Developmental Care and Assessment Program) is used as a starting point for reflection. Phenomenology questions whether there is in fact order to this disorder as lacking contact, unsettling stimulation, and exposed bodiliness. This chapter examines the ethics of using a behavioral language when providing developmental care to infants in neonatal intensive care. It asks what are we inclined to miss in our understanding and practice when an infant’s experience is framed by and conceptualized in a behavioral paradigm. Methodologically, this chapter is an example of engaging primarily with behavioral observations to explore the lived meaning of a phenomenon.
