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Development of infant oral feeding skills: what do we know?

Chantal Lau1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics/Neonatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX clau@bcm.edu.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|January 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Premature infants often face delayed hospital discharge due to immature oral feeding skills. Understanding preterm infant feeding development is key to ensuring safe and competent transitions to independent oral feeding.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Clinical Nutrition

Background:

  • Hospital discharge for premature infants is frequently delayed.
  • Delayed discharge is often linked to difficulties with safe and competent oral feeding.
  • Preterm infants possess immature physiological functions impacting their ability to feed orally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of evidence-based research on the oral feeding skill development in very-low-birth-weight infants.
  • To enhance healthcare professionals' knowledge of preterm infant oral feeding development.
  • To assist caregivers in identifying causes of oral feeding difficulties in preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of evidence-based research.
  • Analysis of studies published over the past two decades.
  • Focus on very-low-birth-weight infants' oral feeding skill development.

Main Results:

  • Preterm infants' oral feeding skills develop differently compared to full-term infants.
  • Immature physiological functions present significant challenges to oral feeding competency.
  • Identification of functional levels where feeding hurdles commonly occur.

Conclusions:

  • Healthcare professionals require enhanced knowledge of preterm infant feeding development.
  • A sensitive approach to immature feeding skills can facilitate a safer transition to independent oral feeding.
  • Understanding developmental hurdles aids in managing individual infant feeding difficulties.

Keywords:
NICUdysphagianeonatal intensive care unitoral feeding issuesprematuritysuck-swallow-respiration coordination

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