Infant joint compression device and method

A method for increasing bone density of a premature infant in a neonatal intensive care unit, comprising:

• positioning a premature infant joint compression device around the premature infant so that the premature infant is in a naturally flexed position and is capable of stretching and moving his or her arms and legs outwardly against an interior surface of the premature infant joint compression device with effort, the premature infant joint compression device comprising:
• an elongated, device pod including a stretchable material and having a head pod end, a foot pod end and a pod interior extending between the head pod end and the foot pod end, wherein the pod interior is sized for receiving the premature infant and the head pod end is configured for covering a back of a head and around a neck of the premature infant;
• a head opening at the head pod end configured to extend from an area directly above forehead of the premature infant down each side of a face of the premature infant and covering both ears to terminate at an area directly under a chin of the premature infant and communicating with the pod interior;
• a pod slit extending from the head opening toward the foot pod end and communicating with the pod interior;
• a series of fasteners positioned along an outer edge of the pod slit;
• a wire passage within the series of fasteners positioned along an outer edge of the pod slit for wire passage;
• and
• wherein the device is positioned only around the premature infant;
• fastening the series of fasteners along the outer edge of the pod slit of the premature infant joint compression device to create compression in the joints of the arms, legs and spine of the premature infant during normal movement patterns of the infant resulting in expansion and contraction of the stretchable material;
• and
• monitoring one or more vital signs of the premature infant, wherein monitoring one or more vital signs of the premature infant comprises connecting wiring from an instrumentation for vital sign monitoring to the premature infant via passing the wiring through the wire passage within the series of fasteners positioned along the outer edge of the pod slit;
• and
• increasing bone density of the premature infant as compared to bone density of a premature infant not treated with the premature infant joint compression device, by retaining the premature infant joint compression device around the premature infant to exert compression pressure against the bones and joints in the arms and legs of the premature infant until the infant is discharged or until they reach full gestational term which results in increasing bone density of the premature infant in the neonatal intensive care unit.