Sucking patterns are not predictive of further feeding development in healthy preterm infants.

Preterm infants are at risk of experiencing difficulties in their feeding development. For a possible early identification of these, we examined the association between sucking patterns, assisted spoon feeding, and chewing skills in 40 healthy preterm infants, and the role of experience in the acquisition of these skills in a prospective longitudinal study. Sucking patterns were evaluated at 34, 37, and 44 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA), assisted spoon feeding was evaluated at 6, 9, and 12 months PMA, and chewing was evaluated at 9, 12, and 24 months PMA.

Exposure to texture of foods for 8-month-old infants: Does the size of the pieces matter?

This study examined the effect of meals varying in amount, size, and hardness of food pieces on the development of the chewing capabilities of 8-month-old infants. The study also examined changes in shivering, gagging, coughing, choking, and their ability to eat from a spoon. In an in-home setting two groups were given commercially available infant meals and fruits, purees with either less, smaller and softer or more, larger and harder pieces.

Sucking behaviour in infants born preterm and developmental outcomes at primary school age.

Aim: To determine the association between sucking in infants born preterm and developmental outcomes at 5 years.

Method: Thirty-four infants were included (mean gestational age 30wks 4d, mean birthweight 1407g). The Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale was used longitudinally from 37 to 50 weeks postmenstrual age.

New scoring system improves inter-rater reliability of the Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale.

Aim: The Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) is a standardised tool to assess sucking patterns in infants to 48 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA). In the Netherlands, the interpretation of specific NOMAS items has evolved, leading to a new scoring system. Recent research using the NOMAS describes a way of clustering the most frequent items, and the aim of this study was to determine whether those changes improved the inter-rater reliability.

The association between sucking behavior in preterm infants and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of age.

Objective: To evaluate whether a specific period after birth (in weeks postmenstrual age [PMA]) and specific elements of sucking are associated with abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2 years using a longitudinal approach.

Study Design: Fifty-two preterm infants participated in this longitudinal cohort study (mean gestational age, 29.5 weeks; mean birth weight, 1197 g).

Uncoordinated sucking patterns in preterm infants are associated with abnormal general movements.

Objective: To examine the association between sucking patterns and the quality of fidgety movements in preterm infants.

Study Design: We studied the sucking patterns and fidgety movements of 44 preterm infants (gestational age <35 weeks) longitudinally from 34 weeks' postmenstrual age up to 14 weeks postterm. We used the Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale during feeding and scored the sucking patterns as normal or abnormal.

The development of sucking patterns in preterm, small-for-gestational age infants.

Objective: To determine whether the development of sucking patterns in small-for-gestational age (SGA) preterm infants differs from appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) preterm infants.

Study Design: We assessed sucking patterns in 15 SGA and 34 AGA preterms (gestational age View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Development of sucking patterns in pre-term infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Pre-term infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are at risk of acquiring brain abnormalities. Combined with ongoing breathing difficulties, this may influence the development of their sucking patterns.

Objective: To determine the longitudinal development of sucking patterns from birth until 10 weeks' post-term age in pre-term infants with and without BPD.

Sucking patterns in fullterm infants between birth and 10 weeks of age.

Objective: Coordinating sucking, swallowing and breathing to achieve effective sucking is a complex process and even though sucking is essential for nutrition, little is known about sucking patterns after birth. Our objective was to study sucking patterns in healthy fullterm infants and to describe the age-specific variations.

Method: We studied the sucking patterns of 30 healthy, fullterm infants longitudinally from 2 or 3 days after birth to 10 weeks of age.

The reliability of the Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale.

Objectives: Sucking problems in preterm infants can be specified by means of visual observation. The Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) is the visual observation method most commonly used to assess the non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and nutritive sucking (NS) skills of infants up to approximately 8 weeks postterm. During the first 2 min of a regular feeding the infant's sucking skill is assessed, either immediately or on video.