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 |