title: Nonnutritive sucking in the sick infant.
abstract: The role of nonnutritive sucking (NNS) in the care of the sick infant is discussed. Several benefits may be derived from NNS: 1) in behavioral and physiologic terms; 2) the maturation of the sucking reflex, the resulting efficiency in feeding, and early hospital discharge; and 3) the change in the perceptions of the caretakers in their alertness and responsiveness to the infants' needs.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*