scholarly journals The Early Feeding Skills Assessment for Preterm Infants

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Thoyre ◽  
Catherine Shaker ◽  
Karen Pridham
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Early Feeding ◽  
Adequate Intake ◽  
Motor Functioning ◽  
Oral Motor ◽  
Postconceptional Age ◽  
Feeding Skills ◽  
The Individual

Preterm infants develop the skills necessary to begin oral feeding as their health stabilizes and as they reach a postconceptional age that supports coordination of breathing and swallowing with oral-motor functioning. The time from initiation of oral feeding to full oral feedings (with adequate intake for growth and maintenance of physiologic stability) can vary from days to months for the preterm infant. The approach to feeding the infant during this transition period must be developmentally supportive and tailored to meet the needs of the individual. To accomplish this, caregivers—notably nurses and parents—need to communicate about the specific skills that the infant has gained, about skills that are emerging, and about skills that the infant has not yet developed. The Early Feeding Skills (EFS) Assessment is a checklist for assessing infant readiness for and tolerance of feeding and for profiling the infant’s developmental stage regarding specific feeding skills: the abilities to remain engaged in feeding, organize oral-motor functioning, coordinate swallowing with breathing, and maintain physiologic stability. This article introduces the EFS.

Feeding Difficulties in Preterm Infants

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 324-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Dodrill
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Early Feeding ◽  
Feeding Difficulties ◽  
Milk Flow ◽  
Feeding Skills ◽  
Clinical Questions ◽  
Feeding Difficulty ◽  
Therapy Interventions

Preterm infants often display difficulty establishing oral feeding in the weeks following birth. This article aims to provide an overview of the literature investigating the development of feeding skills in preterm infants, as well as of interventions aimed at assisting preterm infants to develop their feeding skills. Available research suggests that preterm infants born at a lower gestational age and/or with a greater degree of morbidity are most at risk of early feeding difficulties. Respiratory disease was identified as a particular risk factor. Mechanisms for feeding difficulty identified in the literature include immature or dysfunctional sucking skills and poor suck–swallow–breath coordination. Available evidence provides some support for therapy interventions aimed at improving feeding skills, as well as the use of restricted milk flow to assist with maintaining appropriate ventilation during feeds. Further research is needed to confirm these findings, as well as to answer remaining clinical questions.

scholarly journals The Validity and Reliability of Early Feeding Skills Assessment and Cue-Based Feeding Scales for Preterm Infants

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farideh Kamran ◽  
Setareh Sagheb ◽  
Seyyed Ahmadreza Khatoonabadi ◽  
Abbas Ebadi ◽  
Yaser Faryadras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Weighted Kappa ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Skill Assessment ◽  
Early Feeding ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Rater Reliability ◽  
Feeding Skills

Background: One of the fundamental factors in infants’ readiness to discharge from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is attaining full oral feeding. Determining the infants’ development requires instruments to comprehensively assess the infants’ oral skills and the process of feeding. Objectives: This study aimed to measure the validity and reliability of Early Feeding Skill assessment (EFS) and the subscales of the cue-based feeding (Oral Feeding Readiness scale (OFRS) and Oral Feeding Quality scale (OFQS)). Methods: Participants consisted of 30 preterm infants born at gestational age (GA) ≤ 34 weeks in Dr. Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Infants were enrolled by convenience sampling. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Weighted Kappa were used to measure reliability, and Spearman and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to test convergent and discriminant validity. Results: The inter- and intra-rater reliability of all dimensions of EFS were good (ICC ranged from 0.77 to 0.95) except intra-rater reliabiltiy for the ability to maintain physiologic stability and ability to coordinate swallowing was moderate. The inter-rater reliability of the cue-based feeding scales was excellent (Weighted Kappa of > 0.74). The intra-rater reliablity indicated good agreement for OFRS (Weighted Kappa = 0.73) and excellent agreement for OFQS (Weighted Kappa = 0.75). There was an inverse correlation between most subscales of EFS and cue-based feeding scales (P < 0.05), except the ability to maintain physiologic stability and ability to coordinate swallowing dimensions (P > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between the ability to maintain physiologic stability dimension and post menstrual age (PMA) (r = 38, (P < 0.05) and between the oral feeding recovery assessment and GA (r = 0.37, (P < 0.05). OFQS was inversely correlated with GA and PMA (P < 0.05). Conclusions: EFS and cue-based feeding scales are valid and reliable scales to assess the oral feeding skills of preterm infants; however, using only one of these scales solely to evaluate infants’ feeding process is not enough.

Effect of Oral Motor Intervention on Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Danna Chen ◽  
Zhen Yang ◽  
Chujie Chen ◽  
Pu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Transition Time ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Oral Motor ◽  
Feeding Efficiency

Objective This review article aimed to explore the effect of oral motor intervention on oral feeding in preterm infants through a meta-analysis. Method Eligible studies were retrieved from four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) up to July 2020 and screened based on established selection criteria. Thereafter, relevant data were extracted and heterogeneity tests were conducted to select appropriate effect models according to the chi-square test and I 2 statistics. Assessment of risk of bias was performed among the included studies. Finally, a meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of oral motor intervention in preterm infants according to four clinical indicators: transition time for oral feeding, length of hospital stay, feeding efficiency, and weight gain. Results Eighteen randomized controlled trials with 848 participants were selected to evaluate the effect of oral motor intervention on preterm infants. The meta-analysis results revealed that oral motor intervention could effectively reduce the transition time to full oral feeds and the length of hospital stay as well as increase feeding efficiency and weight gain. Conclusions Oral motor intervention was an effective way to improve oral feeding in preterm infants. It is worthy to be used widely in hospitals to improve the clinical outcomes of preterm infants and reduce the economic burdens of families and society. Future studies should seek to identify detailed intervention processes and intervention durations for clinical application.

Effects of oral stimulation with breast milk in preterm infants oral feeding: a randomized clinical trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiong Le ◽  
Sheng-hua Zheng ◽  
Lan Zhang ◽  
Li-fen Wu ◽  
Feng-juan Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Breast Milk ◽  
Premature Infant ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Transition Time ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Oral Motor ◽  
Oral Stimulation ◽  
Nutritive Sucking

Abstract Objectives This study was performed to evaluate the effect of oral stimulation with breast milk for preterm infants. Methods A total of 68 subjects form neonatal intensive care unit were randomly assigned into control group (n=20), premature infant oral motor intervention (PIOMI) group (n=25) and premature infant oral motor intervention with breast milk (BM-PIOMI) group (n=23). Results BM-PIOMI group had significant shorter initiation of oral feeding (IOF) time compared to PIOMI group (2.95 days, 95% CI [0.42–5.48]) or control group (9.79 days, 95% CI [7.07–12.51]). BM-PIOMI group had significant sooner transition time from IOF to full oral feeding (FOF) compared to control group (6.68 days, 95% CI [2.2–11.16]), but not to PIOMI group (2.09 days, 95% CI [−2.07 to 6.25]). Length of hospital stay (LOS) did not show statistical different between three groups (control 38.85 ± 14.40 vs. PIOMI 38.48 ± 11.76 vs. BM-PIOMI 38.04 ± 12.2). Growth mixture model identified improvement in non-nutritive sucking (NNS) score in BM-PIOMI group compared to control and PIOMI group (0.8293, p<0.0001, and 0.8296, p<0.0001, respectively). Conclusions Oral stimulation with breast milk can better promotes the oral feeding process of premature infants than the simple oral stimulation, by shorten IOF time and improve early NNS score, but does not shorten transition time from IOF to FOF and LOS. Trial registration The trial identification number is ChiCTR1800019134 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry http://www.who.int/ictrp/network/chictr2/en/)

scholarly journals A Novel Approach to Assess Oral Feeding Skills of Preterm Infants

Neonatology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lau ◽  
E.O. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Feeding Skills

Developmental Transition From Gavage to Oral Feeding in the Preterm Infant

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUZANNE M THOYRE
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infant ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nursing Research ◽  
Multiple Systems ◽  
Early Oral Feeding ◽  
Optimal Functioning ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Feeding Skills

The development of early oral feeding skills in the preterm infant is an active and complex area of nursing research. This integrative review summarizes the accumulated nursing research since 1990 that describes feeding the preterm infant during the transition from gavage to full oral feeding. Literature was identified through searches of databases covering the fields of nursing and medicine and of journals and nurse researchers who publish in this area of study. Four main areas of research were identified: development of infant feeding skills, descriptive studies on the transition period, studies that focus on identifying infant readiness to begin oral feeding, and studies that explore optimal ways to advance oral feeding as the infant moves toward full oral feeding. Research studies were critiqued from a developmental science perspective, which conceptualizes feeding skill as an emergent property of multiple systems, both within and outside the infant, that are interacting and working together to promote optimal functioning. Through this analysis, areas for future research are identified.

scholarly journals Readiness for oral feeding and oral motor function in preterm infants

Revista CEFAC ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Coube de Carvalho Yamamoto ◽  
Leila Sauer Prade ◽  
Geovana de Paula Bolzan ◽  
Angela Regina Maciel Weinmann ◽  
Márcia Keske-Soares
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Motor Assessment ◽  
Oral Motor ◽  
Oral Motor Function

ABSTRACT Objective: this study aimed at investigating the Schedule Oral Motor Assessment (SOMA) tool to be used with preterm infants and to compare its results with the Preterm Oral Feeding Readiness Assessment Scale (POFRAS) to start oral feeding. Methods: a cross-sectional and quantitative study, consisting in a sample of 45 healthy and clinically stable preterm infants, assessed at their first oral feeding with two tools: the Schedule Oral Motor Assessment and Preterm Oral Feeding Readiness Assessment Scale. Stata 10.0 software was used for data analysis. Results: 10 preterm infants with readiness for oral feeding showed normal oral motor function, and 16, presented with oral motor dysfunction, did not show readiness for feeding (p <0.05). The time of transition for full oral feeding was 13.5 (± 8.1) days for preterm infants with better results in both assessment tools, and 17.7 (± 10.9) days for those who did not show readiness for oral feeding and had oral motor dysfunction to initiate oral feeding, resulting in a given clinical relevance, even showing no significance (p> 0.05). Conclusion: these results suggest that the Schedule Oral Motor Assessment can be an adjunctive method for evaluation of the oral motor function at the first oral feeding in preterm infants.

scholarly journals Simulation-Based Training Improves Student Assessment of Oral Feeding Skills in Preterm Infants

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Broadfoot ◽  
Julie Estis
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Feeding Difficulties ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
Clinical Recommendation ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Feeding Skills

Advancements in medical technology have contributed to increased rates of preterm birth. Prematurity places infants at high risk for feeding difficulties, however. Early identification and assessment of preterm infant dysphagia is critical to maximize nutrition and hydration, feeding safety, and growth and development. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of a simulation-based training toolto increase non-health care and entry-level clinical student sensitivity to signs of feeding distress in preterm infants. Data were collected from 60 students (20 masters-level Speech-Language Pathology, 20 undergraduate nursing, 20 undergraduate non-health care) in a pre-test/post-test design. All participants completed a brief simulation training protocol, and accuracy percentages were calculated based on their ability to determine the following: physiological and behavioral signs of feeding distress, oral feeding skill level (OFS), and clinical recommendation for further feeding evaluation. Our results revealed that this simulation-based training improved the identification of behavioral (p < 0.001) and physiological (p < 0.001) signs of feeding distress, OFS level (p < 0.001), and ability to make appropriate clinical recommendations (p < 0.001).This study has identified a successful method to effectively train entry-level clinical and non-clinical students to screen feeding skills in preterm infants. This training approach has the potential to improve identification of feeding distress and to recognize the need for a dysphagia evaluation to optimize clinical outcomes in this fragile population.

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