A Framework for Occupational Therapists Managing Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Occupational therapy
• Pediatric feeding

Background:

• Preterm infants often experience difficulties with oral feeding.
• Challenges stem from immaturity, medical complexity, and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a framework and clinical guide for the oral feeding process in preterm infants.
• To synthesize current literature on preterm infant oral feeding.

Main Methods:

• Literature synthesis and integration.
• Development of a framework identifying core oral feeding skills.
• Identification of intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing oral feeding.

Main Results:

• The proposed framework details core skills: sucking, swallowing, breathing, and aerodigestion.
• Identified intrinsic factors include musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, sensory, and neurological systems.
• Extrinsic factors encompass physical surroundings, policies, parental attributes, healthcare providers, and feeding equipment.

Conclusions:

• The framework provides an evidence-based approach to understanding preterm infant oral feeding.
• Recognizing oral feeding as a multidimensional occupation aids occupational therapists.
• This approach helps address factors impacting infant oral feeding performance.