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Suck, swallow and breathing coordination in infants with infantile colic

Hanlie Degenaar, Alta Kritzinger

    The South African Journal of Communication Disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Kommunikasieafwykings
    |January 27, 2016
    PubMed

    Insights

    Infantile colic is significantly associated with impaired suck, swallow, and breathing coordination. This study highlights potential new roles for speech-language therapists in managing infant colic.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatrics
    • Speech-Language Pathology
    • Infant Health

    Background:

    • Parental and popular literature often link infantile colic to feeding difficulties, but scientific evidence is limited.
    • Key feeding components like suck, swallow, and breathing coordination are crucial but underexplored in colicky infants.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the coordination of suck, swallow, and breathing in infants diagnosed with infantile colic.
    • To compare this coordination with that of infants not experiencing colic.

    Main Methods:

    • A standardized assessment protocol for suck, swallow, and breathing coordination was utilized.
    • The study included 50 infants with infantile colic and 28 control infants from rural South Africa.
    • A static comparison group design was employed with strict participant selection criteria.

    Main Results:

    • Significant differences in feeding components and colic presence were observed across four infant age categories.
    • A correlation between postural control and infantile colic was identified in infants aged 2–19 weeks.

    Conclusions:

    • Suck, swallow, and breathing coordination demonstrated a significant association with infantile colic.
    • Further research is warranted, suggesting a potential expanded role for speech-language therapists in addressing infantile colic.
    Abstract

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