Suction and Swalloing Exercises for Premature Babies

NCT06371443 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ayselkokcudogan
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 82
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Underdeveloped oral structures of preterm infants cause feeding problems. Therefore, the development of sucking reflexes of premature babies should be supported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of suck-swallow training on the transition to oral feeding in premature infants. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental trial in the NICU of a public hospital in Istanbul. The study sample consisted of 82 premature infants. Of these infants, 41 were assigned to the experimental group and 41 to the control group. Study data were collected using the investigator-developed Premature Infant Data Collection Form and Early Feeding Skills Assessment Tool. Throughout the study, preterm infants in the experimental group (n=41) were given suck-swallow exercises for 12 minutes once a day before feeding for 14 days. SPSS21 was used to analyze the data.

Conditions

Premature Infant

Keywords

Oral feeding; sucking-swallowing exercises; premature Infant

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The early feeding skills assessment tool (EFS)

  This scale is a reliable tool that assesses skills that contribute to safe and successful oral feeding of preterm infants in 5 sub-dimensions. Sub-dimensions include respiratory regulation, oral motor function, swallowing coordination, feeding participation, and physiological stability.

  December 2021 and June 2022

Study Arms (2)

experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

41 premature infants in the experimental group

Behavioral: Sucking and swallowing exercises

control group

NO INTERVENTION

41 premature infants in the control group

Interventions

Sucking and swallowing exercises BEHAVIORAL

Sucking-swallowing exercises were applied to premature infants in the experimental group (n=41) for 14 days, once a day, 12 minutes before feeding.

experimental group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 34 Weeks - 37 Weeks
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Premature babies with an updated gestational week of 34 weeks
• Premature babies born at 34-37 weeks of gestation
• Premature babies with stable vital signs
• Premature babies with underdeveloped sucking activity

You may not qualify if:

• intubated babies
• Babies with multiple anomalies
• Babies with asphyxia
• Infants with unstable vital signs

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul Medipol University Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Medipol University

Istanbul, Beykoz, 34810, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Gokdemir E, Dogan AK. The Effect of Suckling and Swallowing Exercises During the Transition to Oral Feeding in Premature Infants: Randomized Controlled Study. Niger J Clin Pract. 2025 Jun 1;28(6):708-715. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_41_25. Epub 2025 Jun 25.

  PMID: 40556083 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Premature Birth

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Obstetric Labor, Premature; Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy Complications; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases

Study Officials

• Elif Arslan

  Medipol University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Aysel Kokcu Dogan

  Medipol University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 19, 2022
• First Posted: April 17, 2024
• Study Start: December 3, 2021
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2022
• Study Completion: August 1, 2022
• Last Updated: July 3, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)