Oral feeding is a complex process, successful feeding depends on the integrity of the infant’s oropharyngeal anatomy, neurological function, and mature sucking-swallowing process. Achieving effective oral feeding after birth is important for ideal growth and for safe discharge from hospital. Feeding difficulties encompass broad-spectrum disorders that are common among preterm and term infants, healthy and chronically sick infants, and infants discharged from hospitals. Synchronous activities of sucking, swallowing, breathing, and esophageal function is important for safe and efficient nutritive sucking. Understanding the sucking, swallowing and respiration mechanism and maturation will help to diagnose feeding difficulties. The inadequacy of the methods in evaluating feeding skills may cause the feeding problems not to be diagnosed in a timely manner. Identifying possible causes of feeding difficulties in infants can facilitate the development of new tools and interventions that can enhance the development of these skills. Individual assessment of feeding in infants may help to prevent problems.This Research Topic will provide a focus for further evidence to evaluate feeding skills, determine the causes of feeding difficulties, compare evidence-based feeding strategies, and compare interventions in clinical practice to improve oral feeding.This article collection is envisaged to address, but not be limited to, the following themes:• Feeding difficulties in term infants• Feeding difficulties in preterm infants• Readiness to oral feeding in preterm infants• Management of oral feeding problems• Different feeding strategies in preterm and term infants• The interventions in clinical practice to improve oral feeding• Feeding Interventions for preterm infants• Long-term outcomes of feeding difficulties in infantsWe welcome the following article types: Brief Research Report, Clinical Trial, Original Research, Systematic Reviews, and Technology and Code.
Oral feeding is a complex process, successful feeding depends on the integrity of the infant’s oropharyngeal anatomy, neurological function, and mature sucking-swallowing process. Achieving effective oral feeding after birth is important for ideal growth and for safe discharge from hospital. Feeding difficulties encompass broad-spectrum disorders that are common among preterm and term infants, healthy and chronically sick infants, and infants discharged from hospitals. Synchronous activities of sucking, swallowing, breathing, and esophageal function is important for safe and efficient nutritive sucking. Understanding the sucking, swallowing and respiration mechanism and maturation will help to diagnose feeding difficulties. The inadequacy of the methods in evaluating feeding skills may cause the feeding problems not to be diagnosed in a timely manner. Identifying possible causes of feeding difficulties in infants can facilitate the development of new tools and interventions that can enhance the development of these skills. Individual assessment of feeding in infants may help to prevent problems.This Research Topic will provide a focus for further evidence to evaluate feeding skills, determine the causes of feeding difficulties, compare evidence-based feeding strategies, and compare interventions in clinical practice to improve oral feeding.This article collection is envisaged to address, but not be limited to, the following themes:• Feeding difficulties in term infants• Feeding difficulties in preterm infants• Readiness to oral feeding in preterm infants• Management of oral feeding problems• Different feeding strategies in preterm and term infants• The interventions in clinical practice to improve oral feeding• Feeding Interventions for preterm infants• Long-term outcomes of feeding difficulties in infantsWe welcome the following article types: Brief Research Report, Clinical Trial, Original Research, Systematic Reviews, and Technology and Code.