Feeding-facilitating techniques for the nursing infant with Robin sequence.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of feeding-facilitating techniques in children with Robin sequence.


METHODS
Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.


METHODS
Twenty-six children less than 2 months of age with Robin sequence, whose only cause of respiratory obstruction was glossoptosis. Thirteen infants were treated by being placed in the prone position (Group 1), and 13 were treated by nasopharyngeal intubation (Group 2).


METHODS
During hospitalization, the following feeding-facilitating techniques were applied daily to all children: pacifier, massage to relax and anteriorize the tongue, long and soft bottle nipple with original or enlarged hole, global symmetric position, rhythmic movement of the nipple during suction, and insertion of the nipple on the tongue.


RESULTS
During the first evaluation, Group 1 patients accepted 36.15 +/- 33.05 mL milk orally within a period of 44.62 +/- 42.94 minutes, whereas Group 2 ingested 20.00 +/- 20.51 mL milk within 30.38 +/- 25.77 minutes. A significant increase (p < .01) in the volume of ingested milk was observed for the two groups at hospital discharge after a mean treatment period of 10.7 days (Group 1: 63.46 +/- 22.58 mL and Group 2: 55.00 +/- 13.07 mL). The mean duration of feeding decreased in the two groups, with a value of 21.54 +/- 7.18 minutes for Group 1 and of 20.28 +/- 8.53 minutes for Group 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that feeding-facilitating techniques can foster oral feeding in infants with Robin sequence.
Nassar
Edamil
E
Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil.
Marques
Ilza Lazarinni
IL
Trindade
Alceu Sergio
AS
Bettiol
Heloísa
H
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000517:prevention & control; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D007225:Infant Food; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008405:Massage; D041361:Pacifiers; D010855:Pierre Robin Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016684:Prone Position; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014061:Tongue Habits