Behavioral changes in preterm children during nasogastric tube feeding. Comparative study of manual administration by parents versus mechanical administration via electric syringe pump.

Introduction: Manual feeding by parents using a syringe, a widespread practice in Sweden since the 1980s, favors parents' involvement in childcare tasks. This approach is used in our neonatal unity since 2007.
Objective: To study the behavioral changes of preterm children during nasogastric tube feeding: manual milk administration by parents (MAP) versus electric syringe administration (ESA) over a 30-minute period.
Method: This is a randomized, crossover study conducted in the neonatology unit of Toulouse. Preterm children under 33 weeks of age and over 7 days of life were included. A video recording was performed to assess the children's behavioral response, using the Dsilna score. The reviewer was blinded.
Results: 15 preterm children with a median gestational age of 30.1 weeks and a median birth weight of 1.210 g were included from March to October 2012. The facility, environment, and state of alertness of children were similar in both groups. Signs of well-being were significantly more prevalent in the MAP group versus the ESA group (36.2 (±8.0) versus 30.7 (±9.5)), (p = 0.04), particularly "hand-to-mouth, mouth gestures, seeking suction and sucking". Although not significant, motor withdrawal signs were more apparent and fluctuating in the ESA group. Qualitative analysis of NIDCAP observations confirms this data.
Conclusion: There are behavior changes of preterm children during nasogastric tube feeding. This pilot study showed previously undescribed results: MAP is associated with more common well-being signs and could be more widely used in neonatal units.
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