title: [Applying the synactive theory of development to the care of a premature infant with sucking problems].
abstract: Sucking problems in an infant born prematurely at 24 weeks and 5 days were identified through systematic behavioral observation and family assessment. Reasons underlying the infant's sucking problems included poor sucking and swallowing skills due to an immature nervous system, a chaotic care environment and ecology, and unimplemented sucking and feeding care procedures. Due to the paucity of domestic diagrams related to oral-sucking training for premature babies, in addition to reviewing the literature and establishing a sucking training program to help the infant establish a regular sucking pattern, we also applied the synactive theory of development and improved the hospital feeding environment and ecology to reduce environmental factors that could affect sucking care such as ambient light and noise and feeding schedules. We observed implied infant sucking pattern actions such as restlessness, mouth shakes, and irritation and provided the mother with an appropriate feeding schedule. We helped foster parent-child attachment and enhanced the mother's post-discharge caring confidence. Home visits were also conducted after discharge to assess the home care environment and give instant consultation, providing holistic health care with sustained quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shwu-Jiuan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: Jih-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013391:Sucking Behavior