Type and Timing of Oral Motor Interventions Neonatal Therapists Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Oral motor interventions reported to be used in NICU clinical practice mirror those available in the evidence. This supports ongoing implementation of evidence-based practice for neonatal therapists. Plain-Language Summary: A recent integrative review was completed to understand oral motor interventions used to support the development of feeding skills in preterm infants. The interventions identified in the scientific literature were nonnutritive sucking, applied oral motor stimulation, swallowing exercises, and use of a pacifier that elicits a sensory pulse to stimulate sucking called the NTrainer. However, there was no published information regarding which (if any) of these interventions are actually used in clinical practice and how parents may be involved in their implementation at the neonatal intensive care unit bedside. Therefore, this qualitative study sought to understand oral motor interventions used in clinical practice. All of the interventions identified in the scientific literature were identified as being used in practice, although at varying rates. An additional intervention, milk drops, was also identified. Nonnutritive sucking and milk drops were most commonly used by the study participants and were most commonly taught to parents to implement with their infants. These findings support neonatal therapists' implementation of evidence-based practice in the clinical setting.