Liisa Holsti
Papers
3
Total Citations
109
H-Index
3
About
Liisa Holsti is a leading researcher in neonatal occupational therapy whose work focuses on optimizing neurodevelopment in the most vulnerable patients—preterm infants. Her major contributions center on understanding and mitigating the adverse effects of repeated procedural pain in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Recognizing that skin-to-skin contact with parents is not always possible, Holsti pioneered the development and testing of "Calmer," a robot designed to provide non-pharmacological pain relief. Her pilot study on Calmer (48 citations) demonstrated its potential to reduce pain responses in hospitalized preterm infants, a finding with profound implications for long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Beyond neonatal care, Holsti has explored the therapeutic use of digital technology for individuals with hemiparesis, using focus groups to understand client perspectives (35 citations). Her work bridges cutting-edge robotics with compassionate, evidence-based care, establishing her as a key figure in pediatric rehabilitation and neonatal pain management.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Pilot Testing a Robot for Reducing Pain in Hospitalized Preterm Infants48 citations · 2019
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