Surface electromyography in premature infants: a series of case reports and their methodological aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the development of a method for using Surface Electromyography (sEMG) to evaluate the suckling of premature infants and describe five case reports.

Methods: The five premature infants who took part in the study were submitted to sEMG evaluation of the masseter and buccinator muscles during different feeding methods.

Results: Higher masseter muscle activity was observed in the infants that breastfed or used a cup; masseter muscle activity was reduced and buccinator muscle activity was increased in infants who were fed artificially using only a bottle.

Conclusions: Masseter action was reduced in bottle-fed infants, and there were similarities in masseter activity during breastfeeding and cup-feeding.