Effect of Non-nutritive Sucking on Transition to Oral Feeding in Infants With Asphyxia

Summary

The transition period to full oral feeding in infants with perinatal asphyxia is important in predicting long-term outcomes. The transition to independent oral feeding is accepted as a discharge criterion by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the long transition from tube feeding to oral feeding prolongs the discharge process. Prolonged transition to oral feeding increases maternal stress as it delays gastrointestinal problems, mother-infant interaction and attachment, as well as increasing health expenditures. Due to long-term feeding tube use; Infection, leakage, delay in wound healing, trauma caused by repeated placement, as well as oral reluctance are observed. In asphyxia infants, in whom oral-motor dysfunction is common, the transition to oral feeding takes a long time and tube feeding support is required. The effect of hypothermia, which is a general therapeutic intervention that reduces the risk of mortality and morbidity in infants with asphyxia, on oral feeding has been previously studied and shown to have a positive effect. They also found that MR imaging in infants with asphyxia and the need for gastrostomy and tube feeding in those with brainstem involvement were associated.

Various interventions that affect the transition to oral nutrition positively and shorten the discharge time are included in the literature. Stimulation of non-nutritive sucking (NNS) is the most frequently preferred method among these interventions. It has been shown in studies that there are no short-term negative effects of NNS stimulation with the help of a pacifier or gloved finger, and some clinical benefits such as better bottle feeding performance, acceleration of discharge and transition to oral feeding.

The effect of the NNS stimulation method, which has been shown to be effective in preterm infants with large-scale randomized controlled studies, is not known exactly.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of NNS stimulation applied to oral feeding, feeding skills, weight gain and discharge in asphyxia infants receiving hypothermia treatment.

Conditions

• Swallowing Disorder
• Perinatal Asphyxia
• Feeding; Difficult, Newborn
• Feeding Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
• Speech Therapy

Interventions

OTHER

Non-Nutritive Sucking

NNS is stimulated by giving stimulus into the baby's mouth with the help of a finger wearing gloves.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medipol University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Seyhun Topbas · Medipol University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

34 Months

Max Age

41 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-11-01

Primary Completion

2023-05-20

Completion

2023-07-25

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations