Utilization of surface electromyography during the feeding of term and preterm infants: a literature review

Abstract

Aim To evaluate studies that have used surface electromyography (sEMG) during feeding for term and preterm infants. Method Studies published between 1996 and 2009 were identified through databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, and SciELO) and divided into groups: term infants, preterm infants, and other situations with infants aged from 0 to 12 months. Results Five studies were found for suckling in term infants, two evaluating muscular activity during feeding in preterm infants, and one dealing with other situations. Some studies revealed striking differences in activity of the masseter muscle between breastfed and bottle‐fed term infants (action diminished in bottle‐fed infants). For preterm infants, authors evaluated sucking and sucking bursts and pointed out an effective means of evaluating muscle behaviour during feeding. There is evidence of a similarity in activity between cup feeding and breastfeeding. Interpretation Studies found in this literature review show the importance of using sEMG as a method of feeding assessment for term and preterm infants. For term infants, the masseter muscle presented greater muscular activity during breastfeeding and reduced activity during bottle‐feeding. It was not possible to make comparisons between studies of preterm infants because of differences in methodological design.

Complementary Feeding Strategies to Facilitate Acceptance of Fruits and Vegetables: A Narrative Review of the Literature

“…Sucking from the breast induces a stronger aspiration and intra-buccal depression, requiring stronger activity of the lips and propulsion/retro-propulsion movements of the mandible compared to sucking from a bottle [33]. A reduction in masseter activity was indeed observed during bottle feeding compared to breastfeeding [34,35,36,37]; ultimately this different organization may affect craniofacial growth and oral functions [32,38]. The impact of breastfeeding on the duration and number of chewing cycles required to eat solid, viscous and puréed food in infants aged between six and 24 months has not been systematically examined [39].…”

Modifying the texture of foods for infants and young children

“…Sucking from the breast induces a strong aspiration and intra-buccal depression, requiring a strong activity of the lips and propulsion/retro-propulsion movements of the mandible. A reduction in masseter activity was observed during bottle-feeding compared to breastfeeding (Gomes et al, 2006(Gomes et al, , 2009Inoue et al, 1995;Sakashita et al, 1996). Moreover, horizontal movements of mandible are limited and vertical movements are more important (Limme, 2010).…”

Impact of Feeding Interval on Time to Achieve Full Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Trial

“…The time at which oral feedings should be initiated in preterm infants has been debated. After the initial introduction of oral feeding, preterm infants should be continuously examined for the development of feeding coordination, which is the primary problem during transition to oral feeding . The ability of preterm infants to transition from gavage to oral feeding depends on the sufficient neurodevelopment related to behavioral organization and awake behavior, the rhythmic suck‐swallow‐breathe pattern, and cardiorespiratory regulation .…”

“…After the initial introduction of oral feeding, preterm infants should be continuously examined for the development of feeding coordination, which is the primary problem during tran-sition to oral feeding. 9 The ability of preterm infants to transition from gavage to oral feeding depends on the sufficient neurodevelopment related to behavioral organization and awake behavior, the rhythmic suck-swallow-breathe pattern, and cardiorespiratory regulation. 1 Consequently, the inability to complete the prescribed volume in the feeding duration, short awake period, and discontinuous sucking activity are issues that occasionally direct nurses/clinicians to feed infants by gavage.…”