Developing the Mansoura Early Feeding Skills Assessment Scale for Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Clinical Assessment Tools

Background:

• Preterm infants often face challenges with oral feeding skills (OFS) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• Existing assessment tools may not adequately capture the nuances of OFS in this vulnerable population.
• Standardized bedside assessments are crucial for optimizing feeding interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel bedside scoring system for assessing oral feeding skills in preterm infants.
• To introduce the Mansoura Early Feeding Skills Assessment (MEFSA) scale for use in the NICU setting.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review and critical appraisal of existing oral feeding assessment tools were conducted.
• The Mansoura Early Feeding Skills Assessment (MEFSA) scale, an 85-item observational measure, was developed.
• The MEFSA was applied to 41 clinically stable preterm infants initiating oral feeding.

Main Results:

• Implementation of the MEFSA facilitated a smoother transition to oral feeding.
• Infants assessed with MEFSA demonstrated an earlier initiation of full oral feeding.
• The use of MEFSA was associated with a reduced duration of tube feeding.

Conclusions:

• The Mansoura Early Feeding Skills Assessment (MEFSA) scale is an effective bedside tool for evaluating oral feeding skills in preterm infants.
• The MEFSA contributes to improved feeding outcomes and shorter hospital stays for preterm neonates.