Feeding-facilitating techniques for the nursing infant with Robin sequence.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of feeding-facilitating techniques in children with Robin sequence.

SETTING

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

PATIENTS

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).

INTERVENTIONS

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.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that feeding-facilitating techniques can foster oral feeding in infants with Robin sequence.