Cyclical pattern of non-nutritive sucking in normal and high-risk neonates.

This study determined patterns of suction cycles by recording sucking pressure in full-term infants, normal pre-term infants and newborns with pathology (hypoxia at birth). Associations between these patterns and some clinical parameters were established in order to evaluate feeding capacity for the purpose of guiding specific stimulation and aiding hospital discharge in better health conditions. Seventy-five infants of both sexes were assessed after informed consent, grouped by their status at birth.