Peri & Intraoral Stimulation

Feeding seems simple & an instinctual act of human newborns. But its a complex task requiring intricate coordination of sucking, swallowing, & breathing. Efficient sucking is necessary during bottle or breastfeeding. The mature pattern is characterized by sucking, swallowing, & respiration. The complexity of the task is increased in neonates born premature. Premature babies most of the times do not display adequate oral motor coordination to breast-or bottle-feed until approximately 34 weeks post-conceptual age. The effectiveness of oral stimulation has been compared against pacing & perioral & intraoral stimulation techniques for improving feeding skills in preterm infants. Comparison between perioral & intraoral stimulation techniques on feeding performance in preterm infants.