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Effects of prefeeding oral stimulation on feeding performance of preterm infants

Yea-Shwu Hwang1, Elsie Vergara, Chyi-Her Lin

  • 1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. yshwang@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|September 4, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Prefeeding oral stimulation improved feeding efficiency and state regulation in preterm infants. This intervention enhanced infant intake rates and promoted a more alert state before feeding, aiding their transition to full oral feeding.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Infant nutrition

Background:

  • Preterm infants often face challenges with oral feeding.
  • Developing effective feeding strategies is crucial for preterm infant growth and development.
  • Oral stimulation is a potential method to enhance feeding performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of a prefeeding oral stimulation program on preterm infants' feeding.
  • To assess changes in feeding efficiency and behavioral states following oral stimulation.

Main Methods:

  • A crossover design study involving 19 preterm infants transitioning to oral feeding.
  • A 5-minute oral stimulation program was administered before selected feedings over two days.
  • Feeding, behavioral, and physiological parameters were compared between intervention and control conditions.

Main Results:

  • Infants showed a significantly greater intake rate in the first 5 minutes of feeding after oral stimulation.
  • Oral stimulation led to a higher percentage of infants transitioning to a drowsy or quiet alert state from sleep or restlessness.
  • No significant differences were observed in other feeding parameters or physiological measures.

Conclusions:

  • Prefeeding oral stimulation positively modulates prefeeding behavioral states in preterm infants.
  • The intervention demonstrated short-lived benefits for feeding efficiency in this population.
  • Oral stimulation is a promising non-invasive method to support oral feeding in preterm infants.
Abstract

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