Abstract
Sucking behavior in growing premature infants has received little attention. Non-nutritive (NNS) and nutritive (NS) sucking was measured by suckometer 30 minutes prior to routine feedings, in 11 premature, AGA infants at 5-12 weeks of age, mean corrected age (C.A.) = 39-40 weeks. Six infants had intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) by cranial ultrasound and computerized tomography. Non-IVH (n=5) infants included 2 with methadone abstinence syndrome, 2 with apnea/bradycardia treated with methylxantnines, and 1 with hydrancephaly. Sucking rate (sucks/sec) was measured during continuous (or the longest) sucking bursts.
The data indicates that in NNS, sucking rate is slower in infants with IVH and hydrancephaly versus thost without IVH. The decrease in rate from NNS to NS is less in the IVH group and hydrancephaly vs. the non-IVH group. Thus, premature infants with CNS structural damage may show deficient adaptive sucking behavior.
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Braun, M., Palmer, M. ABNORMAL SUCKING BEHAVIOR IN CNS-DAMAGED PREMATURE INFANTS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 374 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01686
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01686