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Feeding infants with cleft lip, cleft palate, or cleft lip and palate
S K Clarren1, B Anderson, L S Wolf
1Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
Insights
Feeding difficulties in infants with cleft lip and palate are linked to specific anatomical issues. Tailored feeding techniques and devices can effectively address these challenges based on individual infant assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Craniofacial Anomalies
- Infant Nutrition
Background:
- Infants with cleft lip and palate often experience feeding difficulties.
- These challenges can significantly impact infant growth and development.
- Current feeding strategies may not be universally effective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between specific cleft lip and palate lesions and feeding problems.
- To identify effective feeding techniques and devices for infants with cleft lip and palate.
- To provide a framework for individualized feeding support.
Main Methods:
- Assessment of 143 infants diagnosed with cleft lip and palate.
- Evaluation of infant's oral motor skills, including intraoral pressure generation and tongue movement.
- Matching identified deficits with appropriate feeding devices and techniques.
Main Results:
- Feeding problems were found to correlate with the type of anatomic lesion.
- Infant's ability to generate negative intraoral pressure and tongue-to-nipple movement varied.
- Successful feeding was achieved by tailoring techniques to individual infant capabilities.
Conclusions:
- The type of cleft lip and palate lesion influences feeding challenges.
- Individualized assessment of oral motor function is crucial for effective feeding.
- Matching feeding devices and techniques to specific infant deficits improves feeding outcomes.
Abstract:
In assessing 143 infants with cleft lip and palate, we found feeding problems to vary with the patients' anatomic lesion. Effective feeding techniques were identified by first assessing the infant's ability to generate negative intraoral pressure and to move the tongue against the nipple and then by matching these deficits to appropriate feeding devices.