Evolution of swallowing and feeding abilities of neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy during hospitalisation: A case series

Identifying Paediatric Populations with Increased Risk for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Acute and Critical Care Settings: A Scoping Review

Dysphagia is common in hospitalised children. Clarity regarding its prevalence is required to direct service needs. This review reports oropharyngeal dysphagia prevalence in children admitted to acute and/or critical care, following acute illness, medical or surgical intervention. It also explores patient characteristics significantly associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia in these settings. Five electronic databases (EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus) were searched. Studies identified for inclusion involved children (0-16 years), in acute or critical care settings, where prevalence data for new-onset or worsening oropharyngeal dysphagia was reported. Peer reviewed journal articles, including systematic reviews were included. Data was extracted and synthesised using a purpose designed extraction tool. A total of 7,522 studies were screened and 67 studies met criteria. The most researched populations included congenital heart disease surgeries, posterior fossa tumour resections, stroke and post-extubation dysphagia. Populations with the highest documented dysphagia prevalence were children after posterior fossa tumour resection with a new tracheostomy, children using nasal continuous positive airway pressure, and children following ischemic stroke. Characteristics significantly associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia were younger age, lower weight, longer intubation, upper/middle airway dysfunction (e.g., vocal paresis), and presence of additional comorbidities. This review presents synthesised prevalence data for children in acute and critical care settings with new-onset or worsening oropharyngeal dysphagia. It highlights the broad nature of oropharyngeal dysphagia in hospitalised children and the need for more rigorous research into characteristics associated with increased risk to better support screening and early identification of oropharyngeal dysphagia in these settings.

Effect of Nonnutritive Sucking on Oral Feeding in Neonates With Perinatal Asphyxia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

AIMS

The effect of nonnutritive sucking (NNS) stimulation is unclear in infants with perinatal asphyxia. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of NNS stimulation on oral intake, discharge time, and early feeding skills in infants with perinatal asphyxia.

DESIGN

A randomized controlled study was conducted.

METHOD

Of the 94 infants, 47 were included in the experimental group and given NNS stimulation once a day before tube feeding by a speech-language therapist (SLT) in addition to hypothermia treatment. Infants' feeding performances on the days of first oral intake and discharge were evaluated with the Early Feeding Skills Scale (EFS).

RESULTS

The time from tube feeding to oral intake was significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < .05). EFS scores at discharge were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < .05). There was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of discharge and weight gain (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicated that the NNS stimulation positively affected oral intake and early feeding skills in infants with perinatal asphyxia, as in preterms. However, NNS stimulation had no significant effect on discharge and weight gain in infants with asphyxia. This finding may be attributed to other factors. It is recommended to use NNS by an SLT in a neonatal intensive care unit within a multidisciplinary team to accelerate the transition to oral feeding and improve feeding skills in infants with perinatal asphyxia. Further studies on the effect of NNS stimulation in infants with perinatal asphyxia are needed to corroborate its effects on discharge time and weight gain.