Abstract
ABSTRACT Purpose: to establish the breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge and post-discharge, analyze neuropsychomotor development, and indicate the rehabilitation referral rate of preterm children attended by speech-language-hearing therapists. Methods: a total of 39 preterm children participated in the study. They were born at a Children and Maternity Hospital between August 2016 and January 2017 and were followed up by the speech-language-hearing therapists during the hospital stay. The Spearman’s statistical test was used. The p-value was set at 0.005; the correlation value was: r = 0.10 to 0.39, weak correlation; r = 0.40 to 0.69, moderate correlation; and r = 0.70 to 1, strong correlation. Results: of the 39 participants, 17 (43.6%) were discharged on exclusive breastfeeding; 4 (10.25%), on mixed milk feeding (breast and cup); 14 (35.9%), on mixed milk feeding (breast and baby bottle); and 4 (10.25%), on artificial milk feeding - baby bottle. After introducing solid food, 12.8% remained on breastfeeding, 38.4% on mixed milk feeding, and 48.7% in artificial milk feeding. Complementary feeding was introduced at 5 months (adjusted age). Auditory, motor and language development occurred as expected in 90% of the children, considering the milestone’s adjusted age. Conclusion: at hospital discharge, most infants were on exclusive or mixed breastfeeding. After discharge, mixed breastfeeding lasted longer, and low neuropsychomotor development impairment rates and rehabilitation referral rates were observed.
Highlights
The scientific advances in neonatology in the last decades brought about great changes in newborn assistance, leading to a significant increase in the survival rate of both preterm and low birth weight newborns, as well as of those who had serious complications
This study aimed to establish the breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge and post-discharge, analyze the neuropsychomotor development, and indicate the rehabilitation referral rate of preterm children attended by speech-language-hearing therapists
The mean gestational age (GA) was 31 weeks; mean birth weight, 1.400 grams – 19 (48.7%) were considered low birth weight preterm newborns (PTNB), 15 (38.5%) very low birth weight PTNB, and 5 (12.8%) extremely low birth weight PTNB, following the classification proposed by WHO15 (Figure 1)
Summary
The scientific advances in neonatology in the last decades brought about great changes in newborn assistance, leading to a significant increase in the survival rate of both preterm and low birth weight newborns, as well as of those who had serious complications. As increasingly younger and smaller babies survive, the morbidities faced by them as they grow up appear[1] These children can have important sequelae, such as chronic and neurologic diseases, learning difficulties, and cognitive, language, sight, hearing, and behavioral disorders[2]. These complications can cause short- and long-term development alterations[1]. The newborn’s (NB) oral feeding requires that their oral reflexes be preserved; these are oftentimes absent or inadequate in preterm newborns (PTNB). They are divided into defense reflexes (which are necessary to ensure protection during oral feeding) and feeding reflexes. They provide information on the neurological functioning of the oral motor structures, indicating whether the child has the neurological components necessary for feeding[3]
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