Table 2 - Five primary stages of sucking in preterm infants
From the following article
Swallowing and feeding in infants and young children
Joan C. Arvedson
GI Motility online (2006)
doi:10.1038/gimo17
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
Source: Adapted from Lau et al.8 | |
| 1a | No suction; arrhythmic expression |
| 1b | Arrhythmic alternation of suction and expression |
| 2a | No suction; rhythmic expression |
| 2b | Arrhythmic alternation of suction and expression; sucking bursts noted |
| 3a | No suction; rhythmic expression |
| 3b | Rhythmic suction and expression; suction amplitude increases, wide amplitude range, prolonged sucking bursts |
| 4 | Rhythmic suction and expression; well-defined suction, amplitude range decreased |
| 5 | Rhythmic, well-defined suction and expression; increasing suction amplitude; sucking pattern similar to term infant |
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