Influence of taste stimulation on sucking pressure in newborn infants at term

Abstract

Purpose: To verify the influence of a taste stimulus on the suction pressure, during the non-nutritive sucking (SNN), in newborns, healthy and with weight appropriate to the gestational age. Methods: Quasi-experimentalstudy of the non-randomized clinical trial type with a convenience sample of 60 newborns (NB), 30 allocated inthe study group (EG) and 30 in the control group (CG). The NB were evaluated for sucking pressure during theSNN in a pacifier. For the EG, a gustatory stimulus was added to the pacifier, moistened with colostrum. TheCG did not receive any stimulus, other than the pacifier itself. The average, minimum and maximum pressureswere measured with the equipment S-Flex®. Results: The SG presented mean and maximum sucking pressuresignificantly higher than the CG. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the groupsfor the second measurement of mean sucking pressure. Conclusion: The results showed that the NB of theSG presented sucking pressures, average and maximum, significantly higher, when compared to the CG. Theuse of a taste stimulus associated with SNN modified the sucking pressure and seems to enhance oral skills