Rehab administrators answer questions regarding non-nutritive intervention in NICU. IPRC archives information collected by the Pediatric Rehab Administrator’s ListServ as a public service to the entire Pediatric Rehabilitation Community. All information is posted in summary format and has been de-identified. Search through past queries for responses to rehabilitation related questions.

Original email/questions:

In an effort to improve feeding outcomes for our most complex NICU patients, speech therapy is hoping to begin implementing positive non-nutritive intervention as early as possible, including intubated patients when medically appropriate. There is little research regarding non-nutritive intervention for intubated NICU patients, so we want to reach out to various hospital systems to see what their speech therapists are doing for their intubated and low PMA patients in the NICU.

1)      At what post menstrual age (PMA) is speech therapy beginning non-nutritive oral intervention?

2)      Is oral stimulation being completed on intubated patients? If so, how is this differentiated from oral care provided by nursing staff?

3)      What utensils/modalities are we using for stim? (swab, gloved finger, wee soothie, etc).

4)      Has the department implemented any tools to track outcomes?

5)      Prior to providing intervention, what education are you providing to the parents?

6)      What level is your NICU?

Summary of Responses (de-identified)