Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) on body weight gain, breastfeeding behavior, and length of hospital stay in preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: A randomized controlled experimental study design was used. A total of 32 preterm infants with gestational age between 26-30 weeks were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=16) or control group (n=16). The intervention group received PIOMI twice daily for 7 consecutive days (14 sessions in total), while the control group received routine care only. The Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) was used to evaluate breastfeeding performance before and after the intervention. Weight changes and length of hospital stay were recorded and compared between groups.
Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) on feeding behavior, weight gain, and length of hospital stay in preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods This study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental trial with a pretest-posttest parallel-group design. A total of 32 preterm infants with a gestational age between 26 and 30 weeks were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 16) or the control group (n = 16). The intervention group received Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) twice daily for 7 consecutive days (14 sessions in total), while the control group received routine nursing care only. Breastfeeding behavior was assessed using the Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) before and after the intervention. Body weight was measured daily, and total weight gain and length of hospital stay were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests according to data distribution, with a significance level set at p \< 0.05. Conclusion This study was designed to evaluate the clinical effects of PIOMI on feeding performance, weight gain, and hospitalization outcomes in preterm infants.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
16
The Beckman Oral Motor Intervention (BOMI) was redesigned by Dr. Brenda Lessen, modifying its duration and steps, to create the Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI). PIOMI is the only preterm oral motor intervention that can be consistently and reliably applied and easily taught through a specific training program.In the intervention group, physiotherapists administered PIOMI, which consisted of cheek support, lip rounding, lip closure, gum massage, pressure on the lateral and anterior tip of the tongue, and palate tapping to stimulate sucking. The intervention lasted 3 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of non-nutritive sucking, administered twice daily for 7 consecutive days (each session lasting 5 minutes). Oxygen saturation and heart rate were monitored during the application.
The control group received routine nursing care without any additional oral motor stimulation.
Necmettin Erbakan University
Konya, Konya, Turkey (Türkiye)
Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS).
The PIBBS evaluates six sub-items: latching onto the breast, areola grasp, securing the breast with the mandible, sucking, longest sucking burst, and swallowing. Total scores were documented.The Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS) evaluates six sub-items: latching onto the breast, areola grasp, securing the breast with the mandible, sucking, longest sucking burst, and swallowing. The total score ranges from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating better breastfeeding performance.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and Day 7 (post-intervention)
discharge weight
Change in body weight from baseline to discharge
Time frame: From baseline (pre-intervention) to day 7 after completion of the intervention
Length of Hospital Stay
Length of hospital stay is defined as the total number of days from admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) until hospital discharge.
Time frame: From NICU admission (baseline) until hospital discharge, assessed up to 8 weeks
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