OBJECTIVES

To study the effects of early respiratory training combined with swallowing function training on physical development and neurodevelopment at a corrected gestational age of 6 months in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

METHODS

A total of 69 BPD infants who could not be fed completely orally were prospectively selected from the Department of Neonatology of Hunan Children's Hospital between January 2018 and January 2021. Based on a random number table, the infants were divided into a conventional group (35 cases) and a training group (34 cases) (with 8 cases lost to follow-up; the final follow-up included 31 cases in the training group and 30 cases in the conventional group). Both groups received routine clinical treatment and care, while the training group additionally received respiratory and swallowing function training until the infants could independently feed orally. The weight, length, Gesell Developmental Schedule (GDS) results, readmission rate, and multiple readmission rate (two or more admissions) were compared between the two groups at a corrected age of 6 months.

RESULTS

At corrected gestational age of 6 months, the training group had higher weight, length, and GDS scores in personal-social, language, gross motor, fine motor, and adaptive development compared to the conventional group (<0.05). The readmission rate and multiple readmission rate were lower in the training group compared to the conventional group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Early respiratory training combined with swallowing function training for BPD infants in a neonatal intensive care unit setting helps improve physical and neurological development and reduces the readmission rate.