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Oral stimulation accelerates the transition from tube to oral feeding in preterm infants

Sandra Fucile1, Erika Gisel, Chantal Lau

  • 1School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, PQ, Canada.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|August 17, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Early oral stimulation significantly speeds up full oral feeding in preterm infants. This intervention improves milk intake and transfer rates, aiding their transition to independent feeding.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Pediatric nutrition
  • Developmental pediatrics

Background:

  • Preterm infants born between 26 and 29 weeks' gestational age often face challenges with oral feeding.
  • Early intervention is crucial for improving feeding outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if an oral stimulation program enhances oral feeding performance in very preterm infants.
  • To assess the impact of pre-feeding oral stimulation on the transition to independent oral feeding.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 32 preterm infants (26-29 weeks' gestational age).
  • The experimental group received 10 days of daily 15-minute oral stimulation; the control group received sham stimulation.
  • Interventions began 48 hours after nasal continuous positive air pressure discontinuation.

Main Results:

  • Infants in the experimental group achieved independent oral feeding significantly earlier (11 days vs. 18 days, P =.005).
  • The oral stimulation group demonstrated significantly greater overall milk intake and rate of milk transfer (P =.0002 and.046, respectively).
  • No significant difference in hospital length of stay was observed between groups.

Conclusions:

  • An early oral stimulation program effectively accelerates the transition to full oral feedings in preterm infants.
  • This intervention is associated with improved milk intake and transfer rates, supporting successful oral feeding establishment.
Abstract

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