NEONATAL SUCKING AS A CLINICAL ASSESSMENT TOOL

临床证据清楚地表明，一些早产儿 无论是健康的还是生病的， 比其他同胎龄的胎儿更易处理。 仅年龄 对这些脆弱的婴儿的照顾并不是一个充分的标准 可以基于。 然而，可靠有效的 评估工具，可用于规划适当的护理。 的 该项目的目的是开发一种临床上有用的 通过详细描述婴儿的一个方面的评估工具 行为，营养吸吮，这可以作为一个指标， 神经行为的完整性在足月和早产儿。 的 具体目标是：1）建立规范性数据库; 2）审查 胎龄与吸吮模式变化的关系; 3） 检查心血管参数与 行为状态，同时测量神经行为 组织，营养吸吮;和4）调查 与早产儿营养性吸吮相关的生理应激 婴儿。 样本将包括300名足月和早产儿 测量时的后概念年龄范围为 32至40+周。 数据收集工具包括Kron 营养吸吮器、Nellcor脉搏血氧仪、Dinamapp血液 压力监测仪和安德森行为状态量表。 婴儿 在足月托儿所将有一个5分钟的吸吮测量 在生命的第一天和第二天完成。 早产儿 在中级护理托儿所将有每周吸吮 从32-33周测量直至出院。 将测量心血管测量和行为状态 同时。 数据分析将包括平均值、标准 偏差、平均值的标准误、t检验、MANOVA和 重复测量的ANOVA。 预计这一 调查将（a）为临床医生提供一种评估 通过吮吸行为的神经行为发育;（B）供应 关于吸吮的成熟变化的临床有用信息 （c）提供有关早产儿的新资料， 心血管参数和行为状态与 营养吸吮 这项研究将导致发展 一个临床上有用的工具，用于评估神经行为 新生儿期的状态。

Clinical evidence indicates clearly that some preterm infants whether healthy or ill, are more physiologically stressed by handling than are others of the same gestational age. Age alone is not a sufficient criteria on which care to these fragile infants can be based. However, there are not few reliable and valid assessment tools which can be used to plan appropriate care. The purpose of this project is to develop a clinically useful assessment tool by characterizing in detail one facet of infant behavior, nutritive sucking, which can serve as an index of neurobehavioral integrity in the full term and preterm infant. The specific aims are: 1) develope normative data base; 2) examine the relationship of gestational age to changes in sucking patterns; 3) examine the relationship of cardiovascular parameters and behavioral state, concurrent measures of neurobehavioral organization, to nutritive sucking; and 4) investigate the physiologic stress associated with nutritive sucking in preterm infants. The sample will include 300 full term and preterm infants with post-conceptual ages at the time of measurement ranging from 32 to 40+ weeks. The data collections instruments include the Kron Nutritive Sucking Apparatus, Nellcor pulse oximeter, Dinamapp blood pressure monitor, and the Anderson Behavioral State Scale. Infants in the full term nursery will have a 5 minute sucking measurement completed on the first and second days of life. Preterm infants in the intermediate care nursery will have weekly sucking measurement from 32-33 weeks until hospital discharge. Cardiovascular measurements and behavioral state will be measured concurrently. Data analysis will include means, standard deviations, standard error of the means, t-tests, MANOVAs and ANOVAs with repeated measures. It is anticipated that this investigation will (a) provide clinicians with a means of assessing neurobehavioral development through sucking behaviors; (b) supply clinically useful information on maturational changes of sucking patterns in preterm infants; and (c) provide new information on the relationship of cardiovascular parameters and behavioral state with nutritive sucking. This research will lead to the development of a clinically useful tool for the assessment of neurobehavioral status in the neonatal period.