Pharyngeal swallowing rhythm in response to oral sensorimotor programs in preterm infants

Abstract Aim To evaluate swallowing rhythm to achieve greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in two oral sensorimotor programs in preterm infants. Study design Forty-three preterm infants were allocated to 3 experimental and Control groups. Six selected swallowing sound parameters were measured when the premature infants fed at its own rhythm and statistically analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance with birthweight as covariate (ANCOVA). Results and conclusion ANCOVA showed significantly increased numbers of swallows and swallowing bursts, significantly reduced isolated swallows and increased numbers of swallows into medium size bursts in the 3 experimental groups compared to the Control group. Moreover, quantification of these acoustic parameters was of value to assess the effects of oral support on swallowing skills. Our oral support protocol provides chin and cheek support, an aid to deglutition and training for swallowing–breathing coordination with an appropriate rhythm to achieve successful feeding.