Quantitative evaluation of infant's nonnutritive and nutritive sucking. 2001

C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
Department of Pediatrics/Neonatology and Feeding Disorders Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. clau@bcm.tmc.edu

Two important aspects of the clinical feeding evaluation of infants are the assessment of their nonnutritive and nutritive sucking skills. Nonnutritive sucking is monitored routinely by using a gloved finger and nutritive sucking by observing infants' sucking while bottle feeding. This approach, however. provides only a subjective and descriptive evaluation. In this study, we developed a finger pressure device that allows for quantification of specific measures of nonnutritive sucking. We are proposing that its use, in combination with the nipple/bottle system developed for the monitoring of nutritive sucking. will allow therapists to conduct objective and quantitative evaluations of infants' nonnutritive and nutritive sucking. The suction and expression components of sucking are monitored via two catheters placed at the tip of the index finger of a disposable glove and at the tip of a bottle nipple. The observations made from the standard clinical feeding evaluation and from these two instruments were compared. In addition to providing quantitative measures of sucking, the latter techniques allowed the review/reassessment of data, the monitoring of the maturation of oral motor skills over time, and the comparison of these measures between infants. It is proposed that the concurrent use of these devices will allow therapists to conduct more objective and detailed evaluations of infants' feeding skills than can be obtained at present.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234 Infant, Premature A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION. Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D008297 Male Males
D008991 Monitoring, Physiologic The continuous measurement of physiological processes, blood pressure, heart rate, renal output, reflexes, respiration, etc., in a patient or experimental animal; includes pharmacologic monitoring, the measurement of administered drugs or their metabolites in the blood, tissues, or urine. Patient Monitoring,Monitoring, Physiological,Physiologic Monitoring,Monitoring, Patient,Physiological Monitoring
D011312 Pressure A type of stress exerted uniformly in all directions. Its measure is the force exerted per unit area. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Pressures
D001903 Bottle Feeding Use of nursing bottles for feeding. Applies to humans and animals. Bottlefed,Bottlefeeding
D002657 Child Development The continuous sequential physiological and psychological maturing of an individual from birth up to but not including ADOLESCENCE. Infant Development,Development, Child,Development, Infant
D005247 Feeding Behavior Behavioral responses or sequences associated with eating including modes of feeding, rhythmic patterns of eating, and time intervals. Dietary Habits,Eating Behavior,Faith-based Dietary Restrictions,Feeding Patterns,Feeding-Related Behavior,Food Habits,Diet Habits,Eating Habits,Behavior, Eating,Behavior, Feeding,Behavior, Feeding-Related,Behaviors, Eating,Behaviors, Feeding,Behaviors, Feeding-Related,Diet Habit,Dietary Habit,Dietary Restriction, Faith-based,Dietary Restrictions, Faith-based,Eating Behaviors,Eating Habit,Faith based Dietary Restrictions,Faith-based Dietary Restriction,Feeding Behaviors,Feeding Pattern,Feeding Related Behavior,Feeding-Related Behaviors,Food Habit,Habit, Diet,Habit, Dietary,Habit, Eating,Habit, Food,Habits, Diet,Pattern, Feeding,Patterns, Feeding,Restrictions, Faith-based Dietary
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

Related Publications

C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
January 1996, ASDC journal of dentistry for children,
C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
December 1994, Neonatal network : NN,
C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
January 1988, The Diabetes educator,
C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
March 1990, Indian pediatrics,
C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
September 1964, Child development,
C Lau, and I Kusnierczyk
January 2016, Neonatal intensive care : the journal of perinatology-neonatology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!