Relationship between feeding difficulties, medical complexity, and gestational age.
BACKGROUND
This study examined feeding skills differences in medically complex children born prematurely and full term and sought to determine whether later feeding difficulties within this medically complicated sample were related to medical factors or factors related to preterm status.


METHODS
A total of 143 pediatric patients referred to an outpatient clinic for feeding, nutrition, or growth problems were compared by their gestational age at birth across a variety of dependent variables related to feeding development and behaviors.


RESULTS
Full-term and preterm children did not demonstrate significant differences in feeding difficulties at first oral feeding. By the time of introduction to solid (cereal) feeding, however, preterm children more often continued to demonstrate difficulty than full-term children. Regression analyses indicated that medical factors, primarily the need for breathing assistance, accounted for more of the variance than prematurity alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Medically complex children, especially those with an early need for respiratory support, will benefit from ongoing oral-motor feeding intervention.
Burklow
Kathleen A
KA
Division of Psychology, ML 3015, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA. kathleen.burklow@chmcc.org
McGrath
Ann M
AM
Valerius
Kristin S
KS
Rudolph
Colin
C