Are sucking patterns and early spontaneous movements related to later developmental functioning outcomes? A cohort study

Sucking patterns and early spontaneous movements have an important role in the determination of later developmental problems, but the relationship of the two together with long-term outcomes has not been investigated. The objectives of this study were to (i) examine the relationship between sucking patterns using the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) and fidgety movements and other movement patterns using detailed General Movements Assessment (GMA), and (ii) investigate the relationship between these early assessment methods and developmental functioning outcomes at later ages. We analyzed the NOMAS from 34 weeks' postmenstrual age up to 10 weeks post-term and GMA between 9 and 20 weeks post-term age, and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) was applied for the developmental functioning outcomes to 62 infants (61%, 62/102) between 12 and 42 months of age. Among 102 infants at-risk, 70 (69%) showed a normal sucking pattern, and 85 (83%) had fidgety movements. The median Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R), as determined by GMA, of all infants was 24. The NOMAS was related to the MOS-R and its subcategories (p < 0.05) in all infants at-risk. The NOMAS, MOS-R and its subcategories were also related to cognitive, language, and motor development at later ages according to Bayley-III (p < 0.05).   Conclusion: This longitudinal study showed that the quality of sucking patterns, fidgety movements, and MOS-R were related to later developmental functioning, indicating that abnormal sucking patterns, aberrant fidgety movements, and lower MOS-R might predict developmental disorders. What is Known: • Sucking patterns and early spontaneous movements in which central pattern generators play an important role are related. • Sucking patterns and early spontaneous movements might be used separately to predict developmental outcomes. What is New: • Sucking patterns and early spontaneous movements, when used together, were related to later developmental functioning, including cognitive, language, and motor development in at-risk infants. • Predictive value of sucking patterns was lower for each developmental functioning outcome than early spontaneous movements.

An examination of the association between infant non-nutritive suck and developmental outcomes at 12 months

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between infant non-nutritive suck (NNS) dynamics at 3 months and developmental outcomes at 12 months of age in full-term infants. We hypothesized that infants with more mature NNS at 3 months, as evidence by shorter burst duration, fewer cycles per burst, cycles per minute, higher amplitude, and more bursts, would have higher (better) scores on the developmental outcomes at 12 months.

METHODS

This was a prospective study that utilized objective and self-report measures. A five-minute NNS sample was collected from 67 infants (54% male) at 3 months of age (average age 2.99 (0.27) months). At 12 months (average age 11.91 (0.26) months), the Development Profile-3 was administered through caregiver interview.

RESULTS

Infant NNS burst duration, cycles per burst, and cycles per minute were significantly negatively associated with the Development Profile-3 cognitive domain and general scores at 12 months. This is consistent with our hypothesis that infants who have more efficient NNS (fewer bursts and cycles) at 3 months would have higher (better) scores on the Development Profile-3 at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this work complement emerging research linking infant NNS with subsequent neurodevelopmental outcomes. This is the first time that these associations have been examined using a quantitative and physiologic-based measure of NNS. These results seem to indicate that specific NNS metrics, which demonstrate maturation of this complex skill, may be useful predictors of neurodevelopment later in life.

Oral stimulation for promoting oral feeding in preterm infants

BACKGROUND

Preterm infants (< 37 weeks' post-menstrual age (PMA)) are often delayed in attaining oral feeding. Normal oral feeding is suggested as an important outcome for the timing of discharge from the hospital and can be an early indicator of neuromotor integrity and developmental outcomes. A range of oral stimulation interventions may help infants to develop sucking and oromotor co-ordination, promoting earlier oral feeding and earlier hospital discharge. This is an update of our 2016 review.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of oral stimulation interventions for attainment of oral feeding in preterm infants born before 37 weeks' PMA.

SEARCH METHODS

Searches were run in March 2022 of the following databases: CENTRAL via CRS Web; MEDLINE and Embase via Ovid. We also searched clinical trials databases and the reference lists of retrieved articles for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomised trials. Searches were limited by date 2016 (the date of the search for the original review) forward. Note: Due to circumstances beyond our control (COVID and staffing shortages at the editorial base of Cochrane Neonatal), publication of this review, planned for mid 2021, was delayed. Thus, although searches were conducted in 2022 and results screened, potentially relevant studies found after September 2020 have been placed in the section, Awaiting Classification, and not incorporated into our analysis.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing a defined oral stimulation intervention with no intervention, standard care, sham treatment or non-oral intervention (e.g. body stroking protocols or gavage adjustment protocols) in preterm infants and reporting at least one of the specified outcomes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Following the updated search, two review authors screened the titles and abstracts of studies and full-text copies when needed to identify trials for inclusion in the review. The primary outcomes of interest were time (days) to exclusive oral feeding, time (days) spent in NICU, total hospital stay (days), and duration (days) of parenteral nutrition. All review and support authors contributed to independent extraction of data and analysed assigned studies for risk of bias across the five domains of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool. The GRADE system was used to rate the certainty of the evidence. Studies were divided into two groups for comparison: intervention versus standard care and intervention versus other non-oral or sham intervention. We performed meta-analysis using a fixed-effect model.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 28 RCTs (1831 participants). Most trials had methodological weaknesses, particularly in relation to allocation concealment and masking of study personnel. Oral stimulation compared with standard care Following meta-analysis, it is uncertain whether oral stimulation reduces the time to transition to oral feeding compared with standard care (mean difference (MD) -4.07 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) -4.81 to -3.32 days, 6 studies, 292 infants; I2 =85%, very low-certainty evidence due to serious risk of bias and inconsistency). Time (days) spent in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was not reported. It is uncertain whether oral stimulation reduces the duration of hospitalisation (MD -4.33, 95% CI -5.97 to -2.68 days, 5 studies, 249 infants; i2 =68%, very low-certainty evidence due to serious risk of bias and inconsistency). Duration (days) of parenteral nutrition was not reported. Oral stimulation compared with non-oral intervention Following meta-analysis, it is uncertain whether oral stimulation reduces the time to transition to exclusive oral feeding compared with a non-oral intervention (MD -7.17, 95% CI -8.04 to -6.29 days, 10 studies, 574 infants; I2 =80%, very low-certainty evidence due to serious risk of bias, inconsistency and precision). Time (days) spent in the NICU was not reported. Oral stimulation may reduce the duration of hospitalisation (MD -6.15, 95% CI -8.63 to -3.66 days, 10 studies, 591 infants; I2 =0%, low-certainty evidence due to serious risk of bias). Oral stimulation may have little or no effect on the duration (days) of parenteral nutrition exposure (MD -2.85, 95% CI -6.13 to 0.42, 3 studies, 268 infants; very low-certainty evidence due to serious risk of bias, inconsistency and imprecision).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There remains uncertainty about the effects of oral stimulation (versus either standard care or a non-oral intervention) on transition times to oral feeding, duration of intensive care stay, hospital stay, or exposure to parenteral nutrition for preterm infants. Although we identified 28 eligible trials in this review, only 18 provided data for meta-analyses. Methodological weaknesses, particularly in relation to allocation concealment and masking of study personnel and caregivers, inconsistency between trials in effect size estimates (heterogeneity), and imprecision of pooled estimates were the main reasons for assessing the evidence as low or very low certainty. More well-designed trials of oral stimulation interventions for preterm infants are warranted. Such trials should attempt to mask caregivers to treatment when possible, paying particular attention to blinding of outcome assessors. There are currently 32 ongoing trials. Outcome measures that reflect improvements in oral motor skill development as well as longer term outcome measures beyond six months of age need to be defined and used by researchers to capture the full impact of these interventions.

Effects of an Oral Stimulation Program on Feeding Outcomes in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

AIMS

To review the literature on the effects of unimodal sensorimotor stimulation protocols on feeding outcomes in very preterm and moderate to late preterm infants (PIs).

METHODS

Five databases were searched up to April 2022. Studies comparing unimodal sensorimotor stimulation protocols based on the combination of manual oral stimulation with NNS against usual care in PIs, on-time transition to full oral feeding (FOF), feeding efficacy, length of hospital stay, and/or body weight gain.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included. Compared to usual care, unimodal sensorimotor stimulation protocols based on manual oral stimulation combined with NNS demonstrated to be more effective in decreasing time transition to FOF (standardized mean difference [95%CI] - 1.08 [-1.74, -0.41]), improving feeding efficacy (2.15 [1.18, 3.13]) and shortening length of hospital stay (-0.35 [-0.68, -0.03]). However, the proposed intervention was not effective in improving weight gain (0.27 [-0.40, 0.95]). There were no significant differences according to gestational age (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on fair-to-high quality evidence, unimodal sensorimotor stimulation protocols combined with NNS reduce time transition to FOF, improve feeding efficacy, and shorten the length of hospital stay; yet the proposed intervention yielded no significant effects on body weight gain when compared to usual care in PIs.

Correlates and Trajectories of Preterm Infant Sucking Patterns and Sucking Organization at Term Age

BACKGROUND

Premature infants may experience increased difficulty with nutrition and growth. Successful oral feeding is an important factor associated with discharge readiness. Despite the importance of feeding as a growth-fostering process, little empiric evidence exists to guide recommendations for early interventions.

PURPOSE

Evaluate whether specific elements of sucking, during preterm initiation of oral feeding, predict sucking organization at corrected term age.

METHODS

Sucking performance of 88 preterm infants born between 24 and 34 weeks of post-menstrual age was measured at baseline and term (33-35 and 40 ± 1.5 weeks). Participants were divided into 4 groups (quartiles) based on initial measures of performance including number of sucks, number of bursts, sucks per burst, and maximum pressure. Stability in sucking organization was assessed by comparing changes in infant's quartile location from baseline to term.

RESULTS

A correlation between quartile location was observed for mean maximum pressure (PMAX): infants with PMAX in the lowest quartile (poorest performance) were significantly more likely to remain in the lowest quartile at term (P < .000); infants in the highest quartile (best performance) at baseline were significantly more likely to be in the highest quartile at term (P < .000).

IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE

Infants with the weakest sucking pressures at 34 weeks of post-menstrual age continue to be at risk for less than optimal feeding skills at 40 weeks of post-menstrual age. Early identification of at-risk infants may allow for effective interventions to potentially decrease long-term feeding problems.

IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH

Future research should focus on the development of personalized interventions to address attributes of problematic feeding such as sucking efficiency.

Abnormal Nutritive Sucking as an Indicator of Neonatal Brain Injury

A term neonate is born with the ability to suck; this neuronal network is already formed and functional by 28 weeks gestational age and continues to evolve into adulthood. Because of the necessity of acquiring nutrition, the complexity of the neuronal network needed to suck, and neuroplasticity in infancy, the skill of sucking has the unique ability to give insight into areas of the brain that may be damaged either during or before birth. Interpretation of the behaviors during sucking shows promise in guiding therapies and how to potentially repair the damage early in life, when neuroplasticity is high. Sucking requires coordinated suck-swallow-breathe actions and is classified into two basic types, nutritive and non-nutritive. Each type of suck has particular characteristics that can be measured and used to learn about the infant's neuronal circuitry. Basic sucking and swallowing are present in embryos and further develop to incorporate breathing ex utero. Due to the rhythmic nature of the suck-swallow-breathe process, these motor functions are controlled by central pattern generators. The coordination of swallowing, breathing, and sucking is an enormously complex sensorimotor process. Because of this complexity, brain injury before birth can have an effect on these sucking patterns. Clinical assessments allow evaluators to score the oral-motor pattern, however, they remain ultimately subjective. Thus, clinicians are in need of objective measures to identify the specific area of deficit in the sucking pattern of each infant to tailor therapies to their specific needs. Therapeutic approaches involve pacifiers, cheek/chin support, tactile, oral kinesthetic, auditory, vestibular, and/or visual sensorimotor inputs. These therapies are performed to train the infant to suck appropriately using these subjective assessments along with the experience of the therapist (usually a speech therapist), but newer, more objective measures are coming along. Recent studies have correlated pathological sucking patterns with neuroimaging data to get a map of the affected brain regions to better inform therapies. The purpose of this review is to provide a broad scope synopsis of the research field of infant nutritive and non-nutritive feeding, their underlying neurophysiology, and relationship of abnormal activity with brain injury in preterm and term infants.

Nutritive sucking abnormalities and brain microstructural abnormalities in infants with established brain injury: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between nutritive sucking and microstructural integrity of sensorimotor tracts in newborns with brain injury.

STUDY DESIGN

Diffusion imaging was performed in ten newborns with brain injury. Nutritive sucking was assessed using Nfant®. The motor, sensory, and corpus callosum tracts were reconstructed via tractography. Fractional anisotropy, radial, axial, and mean diffusivity were estimated for these tracts. Multiple regression models were developed to test the association between sucking features and diffusion parameters.

RESULTS

Low-sucking smoothness correlated with low-fractional anisotropy of motor tracts (p = 0.0096). High-sucking irregularity correlated with high-mean diffusivity of motor (p = 0.030) and corpus callosum tracts (p = 0.032). For sensory tracts, high-sucking irregularity (p = 0.018) and low-smoothness variability (p = 0.002) correlated with high-mean diffusivity.

INTERPRETATION

We show a correlation between neuroimaging-demonstrated microstructural brain abnormalities and variations in sucking patterns of newborns. The consistency of this relationship should be shown on larger cohorts.

The predictive value of early oral motor assessments for neurodevelopmental outcomes of moderately and late preterm infants

Oral motor assessment is used to identify abnormal sucking patterns which may reflect neurodevelopmental problems in preterm infants, but few studies have focused on moderately and late preterm infants. We enrolled 118 moderately and late preterm infants (mean gestational age, 35.04 weeks; mean birth weight, 2347.59 g) and analyzed the relationship between the Neonatal Oral-Motor Assessment Scale scores of these infants and the Chinese revision of Bayley Scales of Infant Development outcomes at 6 months corrected age. And the infants with abnormal sucking pattern had significantly lower Mental Development Index and Psychomotor Development Index and showed a higher rate of below average scores than control group (P = .003, P = .029, P = .022). The incoordination of suck-swallow-respiration was a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopment (RR = 3.67, 95% CI: 1.42-9.45). These indicate that abnormal sucking patterns in moderately and late preterm infants might provide some predictive value for short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes, but the clinical predictive value for developmental delay need to be determined in a longer term follow-up. This finding may offer a basis for early intervention.

Not All Pacifiers Are Created Equal: A Mechanical Examination of Pacifiers and Their Influence on Suck Patterning

PURPOSE

Many pacifier companies advertise that their product is the "best choice" to support proper sucking, feeding, and dental development; however, very little evidence exists to support these claims. As the primary differences across pacifiers are structural and mechanical, the goals of this study were to measure such properties of commercially available pacifiers and to examine how these properties alter suck patterning in healthy, full-term infants.

METHOD

Seven commonly utilized pacifiers were mechanically tested for pull and compression stiffness levels and categorized into nipple shape types based on their aspect ratio. Next, 3 pacifiers (Soothie, GumDrop, and Freeflow) with the most salient differences in pull stiffness levels with 2 different pacifier nipple types were tested clinically on 16 full-term infants (≤ 6 months old) while measuring non-nutritive suck (NNS).

RESULTS

A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences between NNS burst duration (p = .002), NNS cycles per burst (p = .002), and NNS cycles per minute (p = .006) and pacifier type. With each significant dependent measure, pairwise comparisons showed that the GumDrop and Freeflow pacifiers differed significantly on these measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Pacifier compression, pull stiffness, and nipple shape type yield different NNS dynamics. These findings motivate further investigation into pacifier properties and suck patterning in young infants.

Ingressive speech errors: a service evaluation of speech-sound therapy in a child aged 4;6

BACKGROUND

A pattern of ingressive substitutions for word-final sibilants can be identified in a small number of cases in child speech disorder, with growing evidence suggesting it is a phonological difficulty, despite the unusual surface form. Phonological difficulty implies a problem with the cognitive process of organizing speech into sound contrasts.

AIMS

To evaluate phonological therapy approaches in the remediation of non-pulmonic speech errors. Thus, adding to evidence concerning the nature of ingressive substitutions and their remediation whilst highlighting their occurrence within child speech disorder population for practising and training speech and language therapists.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Child KO, a boy aged 4;6, was identified through a screening of speech, language and communication needs at his school. Word-final, non-pulmonic-egressive substitutes for fricatives and plosives were identified using the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP). Treatment took place in five, weekly school-based sessions with a care-giver present, and targeted two phonemes /f/ and /ʃ/ in word-final position. Word-final /s/ was monitored throughout to capture any change in other word-final fricatives. Phonemes /ɡ/ and /p/ were used as controls, as no change was expected in word-final plosives as a result of therapy targeting fricatives. Production of single words in the DEAP, pre- and post-therapy were transcribed by two independent therapists, (transcription agreement was 86.6% (pre) and 83.7% (post), with all 140 consonants within the DEAP transcribed), and change in consonants correct was analysed using a Wilcoxon test. Picture description tasks and telling of familiar stories were videoed post-therapy to analyse use of word-final fricative egression in connected speech.

OUTCOME & RESULTS

Percentage consonants correct in single-words post-treatment was significantly higher than pre-treatment at single-word level. Generalization of target fricatives into connected speech and modest generalization of non-target phonemes occurred.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

Although ingressive speech sounds are largely absent in the sound system of English, they do occur as speech-sound errors in child speech disorder and respond to phonological therapy within the context of home and school environment. Therefore, training in the phonetic identification of speech sounds outside the system of English is essential. Additionally, non-lexical factors associated with ingression also influence the child's intelligibility and should be explored further in future research.

Identification of Risk Factors for Poor Feeding in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease and a Novel Approach to Improve Oral Feeding

Many infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) do not develop the skills to feed orally and are discharged home on gastrostomy tube or nasogastric feeds. We aimed to identify risk factors for failure to achieve full oral feeding and evaluate the efficacy of oral motor intervention for increasing the rate of discharge on full oral feeds by performing a prospective study in the neonatal and cardiac intensive care units of a tertiary children's hospital. 23 neonates born at ≥37weeks gestation and diagnosed with single-ventricle physiology requiring a surgical shunt were prospectively enrolled and received oral motor intervention therapy. 40 historical controls were identified. Mean length of stay was 53.7days for the control group and 40.9days for the study group (p=0.668). 13/23 patients who received oral motor intervention therapy (56.5%) and 18/40 (45.0%) controls were on full oral feeds at discharge, a difference of 11.5% (95% CI -13.9% to 37.0%, p=0.378). Diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, longer intubation and duration of withholding enteral feeds, and presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease were predictors of poor oral feeding on univariate analysis. Although we did not detect a statistically significant impact of oral motor intervention, we found clinically meaningful differences in hospital length of stay and feeding tube requirement. Further research should be undertaken to evaluate methods for improving oral feeding in these at-risk infants.

Mechanisms of automaticity and anticipatory control in fluid intelligence

The constructs of fluid (Gf) and crystalized (Gc) intelligence represent an early attempt to describe the mechanisms of problem solving in the vertebrate brain. Modern neuroscience demonstrates that problem solving involves interplay between the mechanisms of automaticity and anticipatory control, enabling nature's elegant solution to the challenges animals face in their environment. Studies of neural functioning are making clear the primary role of cortical-subcortical interactions in the manifestation of intelligent behavior in humans and other vertebrates. A tridimensional model of intelligent problem solving is explored, wherein the basal ganglia system (BGS) and cerebrocerebellar system (CCS) interact within large scale brain networks. The BGS and CCS work together to enable automaticity to occur. The BGS enables the organism to learn what to do through a powerful instrumental learning system. The BGS also regulates when behavior is released through an inhibitory system which is incredibly sensitive to context. The CCS enables the organism to learn how to perform adaptive behaviors. Internal cerebellar models enable gradual improvements in the quality of behavioral output. The BGS and CCS interact within large scale brain networks, including the dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN). The interactions of these systems enable vertebrate organisms to develop a vast array of complex adaptive behaviors. The benefits and importance of developing clinical tests to measure the integrity of these systems is considered.

Relationship of cognitive functions and gross motor abilities in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy

Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy can be accompanied by a myriad of symptoms affecting other body systems including cognitive dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between cognitive functions in the form of selective attention and figural memory domains with standing and walking motor abilities in children with diplegic cerebral palsy. The research design was a correlational study. Tasks assessing cognitive function and gross motor abilities were carried out with a sample of 50 children. The data demonstrated the presence of correlation between selective attention and figural memory domains of cognitive function with standing, walking running, and jumping subscales of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) scale at different ages, and this correlation was significant between selective attention domain and gross motor abilities. The outcome measurements of the current study provide original evidence based on the necessity of including cognitive and physical impairments in the examination and evaluation of children with diplegic cerebral palsy in research and clinical settings.

Oral stimulation for promoting oral feeding in preterm infants

BACKGROUND

Preterm infants (< 37 weeks' postmenstrual age) are often delayed in attaining oral feeding. Normal oral feeding is suggested as an important outcome for the timing of discharge from the hospital and can be an early indicator of neuromotor integrity and developmental outcomes. A range of oral stimulation interventions may help infants to develop sucking and oromotor co-ordination, promoting earlier oral feeding and earlier hospital discharge.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of oral stimulation interventions for attainment of oral feeding in preterm infants born before 37 weeks' postmenstrual age (PMA).To conduct subgroup analyses for the following prespecified subgroups.• Extremely preterm infants born at < 28 weeks' PMA.• Very preterm infants born from 28 to < 32 weeks' PMA.• Infants breast-fed exclusively.• Infants bottle-fed exclusively.• Infants who were both breast-fed and bottle-fed.

SEARCH METHODS

We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to 25 February 2016), Embase (1980 to 25 February 2016) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL; 1982 to 25 February 2016). We searched clinical trials databases, conference proceedings and the reference lists of retrieved articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing a defined oral stimulation intervention with no intervention, standard care, sham treatment or non-oral intervention in preterm infants and reporting at least one of the specified outcomes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

One review author searched the databases and identified studies for screening. Two review authors screened the abstracts of these studies and full-text copies when needed to identify trials for inclusion in the review. All review authors independently extracted the data and analysed each study for risk of bias across the five domains of bias. All review authors discussed and analysed the data and used the GRADE system to rate the quality of the evidence. Review authors divided studies into two groups for comparison: intervention versus standard care and intervention versus other non-oral or sham intervention. We performed meta-analysis using a fixed-effect model.

MAIN RESULTS

This review included 19 randomised trials with a total of 823 participants. Almost all included trials had several methodological weaknesses. Meta-analysis showed that oral stimulation reduced the time to transition to oral feeding compared with standard care (mean difference (MD) -4.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.56 to -4.06 days) and compared with another non-oral intervention (MD -9.01, 95% CI -10.30 to -7.71 days), as well as the duration of initial hospitalisation compared with standard care (MD -5.26, 95% CI -7.34 to -3.19 days) and compared with another non-oral intervention (MD -9.01, 95% CI -10.30 to -7.71 days).Investigators reported shorter duration of parenteral nutrition for infants compared with standard care (MD -5.30, 95% CI -9.73 to -0.87 days) and compared with another non-oral intervention (MD -8.70, 95% CI -15.46 to -1.94 days). They could identify no effect on breast-feeding outcomes nor on weight gain.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Although the included studies suggest that oral stimulation shortens hospital stay, days to exclusive oral feeding and duration of parenteral nutrition, one must interpret results of these studies with caution, as risk of bias and poor methodological quality are high overall. Well-designed trials of oral stimulation interventions for preterm infants are warranted. Such trials should use reliable methods of randomisation while concealing treatment allocation, blinding caregivers to treatment when possible and paying particular attention to blinding of outcome assessors.

An automated system for quantitative analysis of newborns' oral-motor behavior and coordination during bottle feeding

In this work a novel unobtrusive technology-aided system is presented and tested for the assessment of newborns' oral-motor behavior and coordination during bottle feeding. A low-cost monitoring device was designed and developed in order to record Suction (S) and Expression (E) pressures from a typical feeding bottle. A software system was developed to automatically treat the data and analyze them. A set of measures of motor control and coordination has been implemented for the specific application to the analysis of sucking behavior. Experimental data were collected with the developed system on two groups of newborns (Healthy vs. Low Birth Weight) in a clinical setting. We identified the most sensitive S features to group differences, and analyzed their correlation with S/E coordination measures. Then, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to explore the system suitability to automatically identify peculiar oral behaviors. Results suggest the suitability of the proposed system to perform an objective technology-aided assessment of the newborn's oral-motor behavior and coordination during the first days of life.

An Automated System for the Analysis of Newborns' Oral-Motor Behavior

The assessment of oral-motor behavior (OMB) represents one the earliest noninvasive ways to evaluate newborns' well-being and neuromotor behavior. This work aimed at developing a new low-cost, easy-to-use and noninvasive system for a technology-aided assessment of newborns' OMB during bottle feeding. A SUcking MOnitoring Device (SUMOD) was designed and developed to be easily integrated on a typical feeding bottle. A software system was developed to automatically treat and analyze the acquired data: proper algorithms for a fully automatic segmentation and features extraction are proposed and implemented. A set of measures of motor control and coordination are introduced and implemented for the specific application to the OMB analysis. Experimental data were collected on two groups of newborns (healthy versus low birth weight) with the SUMOD in a clinical setting.

Large-scale brain systems and subcortical relationships: practical applications

This article describes an interactive paradigm for understanding brain functioning. This model requires both explicit and implicit learning processes. This paradigm is illustrated through the interpretation of practical examples of behavior. Applications of current neuropsychological tests are presented within this interactive paradigm. The development of new neuropsychological tests is presented, as derived from experimental test paradigms that evaluate implicit learning processes.

Technological solutions and main indices for the assessment of newborns' nutritive sucking: a review

Nutritive Sucking (NS) is a highly organized process that is essential for infants' feeding during the first six months of their life. It requires the complex coordination of sucking, swallowing and breathing. The infant's inability to perform a safe and successful oral feeding can be an early detector of immaturity of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Even though the importance of early sucking measures has been confirmed over the years, the need for standardized instrumental assessment tools still exists. Clinicians would benefit from specifically designed devices to assess oral feeding ability in their routine clinical monitoring and decision-making process. This work is a review of the main instrumental solutions developed to assess an infant's NS behavior, with a detailed survey of the main quantities and indices measured and/or estimated to characterize sucking behavior skills and their development. The adopted sensing measuring systems will be described, and their main advantages and weaknesses will be discussed, taking into account their application to clinical practice, or to at-home monitoring as post-discharge assessment tools. Finally, the study will highlight the most suitable sensing solutions and give some prompts for further research.

Hypotonia, jaundice, and Chiari malformations: relationships to executive functions

This article postulates that movement and action control are the underpinning of executive functioning. We selectively examine brain regions that have traditionally been almost exclusively understood as critical to the control and expression of movement-namely, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. We first describe the relationship between movement and cognition. This is followed by a review of common developmental disorders that are known to exhibit abnormal executive functions and movement anomalies. Against that background, we examine hypotonia, neonatal jaundice, and Chiari I malformation, and we demonstrate why these are "at-risk" factors for neurodevelopmental disorders that can feature both motor control and executive function abnormalities. Our goal is to prepare the clinical neuropsychologist for gathering information about these features of a child's birth and developmental histories, while using this as a framework for interpreting test results and applying test data in a useful, practical way to guide descriptive diagnosis and treatment.

From movement to thought: the development of executive function

This article presents a very simple definition of executive functioning (EF). Although EF is traditionally understood as a cognitive function dependent upon top-down cortical control, we challenge this model. We propose that the functional architecture of the brain evolved to meet the needs of interactive behavior and that cognition develops to control the motor system, which is of paramount importance in adaptation, essentially a manifestation of EF. We propose that traditional models of cognition are incomplete characterizations of EF and that procedural learning and "automatic" behaviors are the most basic, bottom-up functions that support all EF. We propose that motor development in children demonstrates how all knowledge is grounded in sensorimotor interaction and how interactive behavior generates both procedural and declarative knowledge, which later interact to generate EF. This model emphasizes the critical importance of motor behavior in children and stresses the importance of the pediatric motor examination in understanding the development of EF. This model also has implications for why traditional tests of EF have little predictive validity in both children and adults.

Hyperbilirubinemia: subcortical mechanisms of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction

Although development of the full syndrome of kernicterus is relatively rare, neonatal jaundice continues to occur frequently. Controversy remains concerning whether or not infants with moderate elevations in bilirubin are at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in later childhood. Sites of brain pathology associated with bilirubin neurotoxicity are identified and well established. Based on these regions of brain involvement, we apply neuroscientific principles of brain-behavior relationships to predict types of cognitive features that may accompany hyperbilirubinemia. We address a range of neurodevelopmental abnormalities that can arise as a function of elevated neonatal bilirubin levels affecting these brain regions, even in the absence of full kernicterus syndrome. Moreover, we explain the neuropathologic mechanisms that would drive these abnormalities. We thus attempt to establish a blueprint for future investigations of these conditions, to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Early sucking and swallowing problems as predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome in children with neonatal brain injury: a systematic review

AIM

Early sucking and swallowing problems may be potential markers of neonatal brain injury and assist in identifying those infants at increased risk of adverse outcomes, but the relation between early sucking and swallowing problems and neonatal brain injury has not been established. The aim of the review was, therefore, to investigate the relation between early measures of sucking and swallowing and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants diagnosed with neonatal brain injury and in infants born very preterm (<32wks) with very low birthweight (<1500g), at risk of neonatal brain injury.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic review of English-language articles using CINAHL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE OVID (from 1980 to May 2011). Additional studies were identified through manual searches of key journals and the works of expert authors. Extraction of data informed an assessment of the level of evidence and risk of bias for each study using a predefined set of quality indicators.

RESULTS

A total of 394 abstracts were generated by the search but only nine studies met the inclusion criterion. Early sucking and swallowing problems were present in a consistent proportion of infants and were predictive of neurodevelopmental outcome in infancy in five of the six studies reviewed.

LIMITATIONS

The methodological quality of studies was variable in terms of research design, level of evidence (National Health and Medical Research Council levels II, III, and IV), populations studied, assessments used and the nature and timing of neurodevelopmental follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Based upon the results of this review, there is currently insufficient evidence to clearly determine the relation between early sucking and swallowing problems and neonatal brain injury. Although early sucking and swallowing problems may be related to later neurodevelopmental outcomes, further research is required to delineate their value in predicting later motor outcomes and to establish reliable measures of early sucking and swallowing function.