[Sucking behavior of normal full-term and low-risk preterm infants]

The sucking behavior of infants was analyzed by taking pictures using a fiberscope. The pictures were taken from inside an artificial nipple when a baby was sucking. The recording was carried out on babies of between 38 and 40 weeks gestational age. The subjects were 20 normal full term infants and 20 low-risk preterm infants. Individual differences were found, but it was possible to abstract the common components of the sucking behavior. The main components studied were the degree of adhesiveness of the lips to the breast for forming an airtight closure, the degree to which the tongue wraps the nipple, the width of the peristaltic tongue movements, and 6 other components. Each component was measured on a 3 point scale, where 1 is poor, 2 is good and 3 is excellent. The total score for each subject was determined by adding the scores for all nine components. The overall score for each infant indicates a level of individual sucking behavior. After the scale was compiled, the level of the sucking behavior of normal full term infants and that of low-risk preterm infants were assessed. The result showed significant discrepancies between the two groups. Low-risk preterm infants had lower overall scores than normal full term infants, and this difference was seen in all nine components.