Premature Births and Developmental Complications

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When infants are born prematurely, many of them present developmental complications along with a variety of medical problems. Many of these infants also experience frequent hospitalization. One of the main causes of readmission is feeding difficulties, also known as dysphagia. Dysphagia is a condition in which swallowing is considered difficult or painful. This condition is commonly seen in premature infants because of their immature sucking and uncoordinated suck, swallow, and breathing patterns. These issues can lead to delays in successful breast-feeding, dehydration, and trouble gaining weight. The harmful effects of dysphagia can be improved by a Speech Language Pathologist. Oral motor intervention, OMI, is an intervention method that many Speech Language Pathologists use in the neonatal intensive care unit, NICU. OMI is defined as sensory stimulation of the lips, jaw, tongue, soft palate, pharynx, larynx, and respiratory muscles that are considered influential in the physiological underpinnings of the oropharyngeal mechanism. This is done to improve the function of the oropharyngeal mechanism. This intervention has two types: nonnutritive sucking (NNS) and oral stimulation. NNS is used as a transition from a feeding tube to breast feeding. This technique involves a pacifier that allows the infants to learn sucking behaviors, improve digestion of enteral feedings. This has the potential to reduce length of hospital stay in premature babies. The oral stimulation technique involves gentle pressure to the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other oral structures. However, there has been no consistent data to show that oral motor intervention has positive effects on premature infants. This study examines other scholarly articles tha... ... middle of paper ... ... were found consistent throughout all the articles studied and further research is need for credibility of the intervention. Credibility of this article is proven by: the author's names and addresses being identified at the beginning of the article. The article also contained information and words that are specific to the field of study, dysphagia. Sources were also cited throughout and at the end of the article. Tables of data showed the results of their findings. References Arvedson, J., Clark, H., Frymark, T., Lazarus, C., & Schooling, T. (2010). Evidence-based systematic review: Effects of oral motor interventions on feeding and swallowing in preterm infants. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19(4), 321-340. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com2048/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE 7CA241628059&v=2.1&u=txshracd2557&it=r&p=HRCA&sw=w&authCount=1

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