Guest Editorial, December 2012, Newborn and Infant Nursing Review

Abstract

More than 500000 infants are born preterm every year in the United States. Preterm birth is the birth of an infant prior to 37 weeks gestation. Advances in technology have allowed greater survival rates and greater morbidity rates for these infants. Recent evidence suggests that feeding preterm infants during the early weeks after birth is important to their later outcomes, notably their neurological development and overall growth. Up to 50% of prematurely born infants will later exhibit developmental difficulties such as motor, cognitive or behavioral impairments. Therefore, parents of these infants confront unique problems produced by the timing of their infant's birth. This focused issue of Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews will consider these problems. In doing so, we will focus on feeding, growth, and development. Preterm infants are at risk for feeding problems in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and after discharge. In “Feeding Intolerance in Preterm Infants and Standard of Care Guidelines for Nursing Assessment,” Dr Brigit Carter reviewed common symptoms and other clinical manifestations associated with feeding intolerance. Dr Carter also outlines nursing care guidelines for assessing and reporting feeding intolerance symptoms to encourage the early reporting of symptoms to health care providers. After discharge from the NICU, infants born prematurely remain at risk for feeding and growth problems. Dr Rita Pickler and her colleagues presented their original findings in “Changes in Oral Feeding in Preterm Infants Two Weeks After Hospital Discharge.” Dr Pickler measured changes in preterm infant feeding skills between discharge and two weeks post-discharge. Dr Pickler suggests that assessing feeding skills predischarge may assist in planning appropriate post-discharge interventions and follow-up. Dr Kristin Lutz also presented her original findings in “Feeding Problems of the NICU and PICU Graduates: Perceptions of Parents and Providers.” Dr Lutz's study was designed to better understand family consequences of feeding problems after infants’ transition home. Feeding problems can persist for months or years after discharge and may lead to poor growth. In “Growth Outcomes of Preterm Infants in the NICU: Long-Term Considerations,” Dr Deborah Steward discusses what is currently known about