Article

We examined the effects of cheek and jaw support on the feeding
ability of inefficient feeders born prematurely. METHOD:
Twenty preterm infants
served as their own controls. Each infant received either intervention (feeding
with oral support) or control (feeding without oral support) for 2 consecutive
feedings per day on 2 consecutive days. RESULTS: Infants displayed a greater
intake rate during the intervention feedings, both during the first 5 min (p =
.046) and throughout the entire feeding (p = .023). The percentage of leakage
during the first 5-min feeding was smaller in the intervention condition than in
the control condition (p = .040). No significant differences were found between
the two conditions in the sucking, physiological, and alertness variables.
CONCLUSION: Findings confirm oral support as a safe and effective strategy to
improve the feeding performance of preterm infants who are poor feeders.

Langue : ANGLAIS