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Dietary transition difficulties in preterm infants: critical literature review
Carla Lucchi Pagliaro1, Karina Elena Bernardis Bühler2, Silvia Maria Ibidi3
1Department of Speech Therapy and Audiology, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Insights
Preterm infants, especially those with very low birth weight, often experience feeding difficulties. Early intervention and post-discharge monitoring are crucial for developing feeding skills in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants face unique challenges in early development.
- Feeding issues are common in preterm children, impacting growth and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the scientific literature on dietary changes and feeding development in preterm children.
- To identify factors influencing feeding skills and difficulties in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of the PubMed database (1996-2014).
- Inclusion criteria focused on feeding development, oral motor skills, and feeding difficulties in children up to 10 years.
- Analysis of 22 selected studies.
Main Results:
- Very low birth weight preterm newborns exhibit a higher incidence of feeding problems.
- These feeding difficulties persist from early postnatal stages into childhood.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants require specialized attention for feeding development.
- Post-hospital discharge monitoring and early intervention programs are recommended to enhance feeding skills.
Objective:
To analyze the scientific literature on dietary changes in preterm children during the first years of life.
Data Source:
The PubMed database was used for article selection. The texts were analyzed according to their objectives, research design, and research group characteristics. The following were selected to comprise the criteria: (1) publications in the period from 1996 to 2014; (2) participation of infants and children from birth to 10 years of age; (3) development of oral motor skills necessary for feeding; (4) development of the feeding process; and (5) feeding difficulties during childhood.
Summary Of The Findings:
There were 282 studies identified, of which 17 were used in the review, and five more articles were identified through the reference list of selected articles, totaling 22 references.
Conclusion:
Very low birth weight preterm newborns are more likely to have feeding problems in early postnatal stages and during childhood when compared with full-term infants. Monitoring the feeding of these infants after hospital discharge is strictly recommended in an early intervention program aiming at better development of feeding skills.
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