The Effect of The Premature Infant Oral Motorınterventıon on Suckıng Capacıty in Preterm Infants

ABSTRACT Objective: To test the effect of the Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (PIOMI) at 29-30 weeks post-menstrual age on the development of oral-motor function and sucking capacity. Study Design: This study was a single-blind randomized controlled experimental design. The sample consisted of 60 preterm babies from two Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Gaziantep, Turkey between May 2019 and March 2020, with 30 each in the control and experimental groups. The PIOMI was applied to the experimental group for five minutes a day for 14 consecutive days. Sucking capacity, growth, feeding outcomes, and length of hospital stay (LOS) were measured. The Yakut Manometer Measuring Suction Power (PCT/TR2019/050678) was developed specifically for this study and tested for the first time.