Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: January | Volume: 11 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 38-47
The Effect of Pre-Feeding Protocol with and Without Tactile and Kinaesthetic Stimulation on Oral Motor Ability & Physiological Stability in Preterm Infants
Shailaja S. Jaywant1, Jayashri S. Kale2
1Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy, L.T.M, Medical College & LT Municipal Hospital, Sion, Mumbai 400022
2Professor & Ex-Head of Occupational Therapy Department, Seth G.S, Medical College & K.E.M Hospital, Mumbai 400012
Corresponding Author: Shailaja S. Jaywant
ABSTRACT
Background: Frequent desaturation due to immature incoordination of suck-swallow-breathing in preterm infants can influence multiple organs such as the heart, lungs and brain, which can then affect growth and development
Premature infant oral motor intervention (PIOMI) has shown the positive effects on feeding progression of the premature infants. The study was done to analyse effect of the combined protocol PIOMI with tactile, Kinaesthetic and respiratory muscle stimulation on achieving oral motor control and physiological stability and evaluate its efficacy against PIOMI.
Methods: A total 72 clinically stable infants admitted in premature care unit, fulfilling inclusion criterion were enrolled. They were allocated in two groups. Infants receiving PIOMI (Control group) and infants receiving the new intervention protocol i.e. PIOMI with M technique, Respiratory muscle stimulation (Experimental group), for 10 minutes each day. Data was collected for oral motor abilities, day of achieving full feeds and pre & post intervention physiological parameters such as Pulse rate & O2 saturation.
Results: Gestational age at full feeds was 33.65 weeks and 32.60 weeks in control and experimental groups respectively with ‘p’ value 0.001. The number of days of full feed in experimental group was 5.20 days earlier (p=0.002). Infants from experimental group showed improved mean rank on NNS during first follow up day. More percentage of infants showed the physiological stability.
Conclusions: New intervention protocol i.e. PIOMI with M technique, Respiratory muscle stimulation was well tolerated by preterm infants. This led to achieving better physiological stability during feeding with early achievement of oral feeds.
Key words: Preterm infants, full feeds, Heart rate, Respiratory muscles, breathing, O2 saturation, gestational age