Neonatal sucking behaviour and its development until 14 months

• Published in: Early human development 1997, Vol.47 (1), p.1-9
• Main Authors: Iwayama, Kazuko, Eishima, Mariko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Audio-visual aids; Cheek - physiology; Developmental change; Female; Fourteen-month infant; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Jaw - physiology; Longitudinal Studies; Low-risk full term infant; Male; Movement; Newborn infant; Sucking Behavior - physiology; Sucking behaviour; Tongue - physiology
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-3782(96)01750-1

A fiberscope supported by a holder, devised by one of the authors, was used to film neonatal sucking behaviour and its development from birth to 14 months of life. The subjects were 57 low-risk full term infants. Present observations detect a developmental course of the sucking behaviour. The main changes are: (a) the bell shape produced by the peristaltic tongue movements is quite high in the neonatal period, decreases in height considerably during the third month and almost disappears by the tenth month of life, (b) The depth of the cavity produced by the peristaltic tongue movements increases from the third month until the eighth month and decreases after this time. (c) The wrapping by the root of the tongue at the tip of the nipple gradually weakens during the first month and almost disappears around the sixth month of life. (d) The neonatal pattern disappears and the pattern for older infants appears in one sucking episode in the same infant during the second and third month after birth. There are individual differences in the period of actual change but it usually appears during the third month.