Análise do padrão da sucção nutritiva em recém-nascidos pré-termo no momento da liberação da via oral

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyze nutritive sucking characteristics in premature neonates (PN) after medical prescription to oral way (OW) feeding, without receiving previous oral motor sensorial stimulation. The sample consisted of 32 PN submitted to nutritive sucking (NS) evaluation, regarding to: behavior state (BS) ( before the NS); strength, rhythm, number, time, pause and sucking coordination; prescribed volume by the medical staff and prescribed volume ingested by the neonate in the first OW; breast-sucking length; correlation among blocks and sucking time. Two groups of different gestational ages were also contrasted: Group 1 (G1), presenting gestational age equals or below 34 weeks and 6 days, and Group 2 (G2), presenting gestational age equals or above 35 weeks. The data were collected in between May and September 2005, being analyzed through the STATA 5.0 software, ANOVA, Chi-square test and Spearman Correlation Coefficient. Considering the results, it was checked that PN presented acceptance to the feeding bottle nipple during the NS, approaching reaction to the touching stimulus, sealing lips presence, strong sucking force degree, fast sucking rhythm, presence of sucking blocks, pauses among blocks and sucking, swallowing and breathing coordination; besides being presented in higher density in the alert BS at the NS beginning, and asleep at the ending. Both groups presented higher concentration of PN in the sleeping state before and after the NS; appropriated sucking, swallowing and breathing coordination; and a similar breast sucking pace. G1 presented weak sucking strength degree; slowing sucking rhythm, although it presented better results regarding the correlation between sucking block and time. G2 had a strong sucking strength degree; fast sucking rhythm; and a better performance related to number and higher sucking time, but similar G1 results related to the sucking block and pace correlation. This result, apparently, has to due with the long sucking stimulus lacking period or to the oral gastric probe in touch with the oral cavity of these PN. Both groups presented initial sleeping BS, and at the NS ending, this variant has increased regarding the number of PN in the sleeping BS.