{
  "abstract": "Oral feeding acquisition is frequently delayed in very preterm infants, potentially affecting hospital discharge timing and longer-term feeding competence. Evidence supporting oral stimulation interventions remains heterogeneous, with few objective longitudinal assessments available. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of cot-side assessment of non-nutritive sucking (suckometry) for assessing sucking maturation and to characterise early sucking performances before and after implementation of a structured oral stimulation protocol. We conducted a prospective quality improvement (QI) pre-post uncontrolled pilot study in a single-centre level III neonatal unit among infants born at 27-32 weeks' gestational age. Sucking performance was measured weekly from the first postnatal week until full oral feeding autonomy using a novel cot-side suckometer. Clinical characteristics and sucking performances were compared before and after protocol implementation. Seventeen infants were included (11 before, 6 after protocol). Median gestational age was 29.7 weeks and birth weight 1320 g (comparable between groups). Cot-side suckometry proved feasible from the first postnatal days. Approximately 73% of non-stimulated infants exhibited an early decline in sucking performance (a ~ 40% reduction, primarily affecting suction and compression bursts), whereas stimulated infants demonstrated progressive improvement (an approximately 120% increase). Conclusion: Cot-side suckometry provides feasible objective assessment of sucking maturation in very preterm infants. Oral stimulation was associated with more favourable sucking development, warranting further evaluation in larger trials.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Jean-Charles Picaud"
    },
    {
      "name": "Pierre Pradat"
    },
    {
      "name": "Thierry Pébayle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nathalie Mory-Thomas"
    },
    {
      "name": "Blandine Pastor-Diez"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sabine Valette"
    },
    {
      "name": "Luc Marlier"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dqgthdhfb45vp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1007/s00431-026-07344-0",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "dqgthdhfb45vp",
  "issns": [
    "0340-6199",
    "1432-1076"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05742899v1",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-SA 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.scco"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "0.sdv"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.scco.neur"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.sdv.mhep"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "2.sdv.mhep.ped"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2735|Infant Development and Preterm Care"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7203787957",
  "pdf_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05742899/document",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-20",
  "publisher": "Springer Verlag [1975-....]",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dqgthdhfb45vp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:31Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05742899",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.science/hal-05742899v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "hal:1.scco.neur",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "hal:2.sdv.mhep.ped",
      "subfield": "reproductive-child"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Early evolution of oral feeding skills in very preterm infants: impact of an oral stimulation protocol assessed by cot-side suckometer: a pilot study",
  "title_text": "Early evolution of oral feeding skills in very preterm infants: impact of an oral stimulation protocol assessed by cot-side suckometer: a pilot study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:31Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dqgthdhfb45vp",
  "venue": "European Journal of Pediatrics",
  "versions": []
}