Impact of Implementing an Infant Driven Feeding Program on Oral Feeding and Growth Outcomes of Medically Fragile Infants in the Neonatal ICU (NICU)

Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Status: Completed

Conditions: Oral Feeding Outcomes; Length of NICU Stay; Growth

Treatments: Other: SOFFI

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01666457

2009-13949 Horner

Details and patient eligibility

About

The specific aim of this pre-post trial is to compare data regarding oral feeding, length of stay, and growth outcomes of 100 NICU infants to these same outcomes following the implementation of a developmentally supportive, infant driven feeding program with the NICU staff, specifically the Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) infant feeding program on a second sample of 100 NICU infants at Children's Memorial Hospital.

The specific research questions considered in this study are:

1. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the oral feeding outcomes of medically fragile infants in the NICU at discharge and at 3 months post-term?
2. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the growth outcomes of medically fragile infants in the NICU at discharge and at 3 months post-term?
3. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the length of stay of medically fragile infants in the NICU?
4. What is the impact of implementing the SOFFI on the clarity and consistency of NICU staff evaluations and communications related to managing oral feedings with medically fragile infants?

Enrollment: 156 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 5 months old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Infants of all gestations and diagnostic groups in this tertiary level NICU will be included in the sample

Exclusion criteria

• Infants with medical diagnoses known to impact sucking and swallowing

• Infants unable to manage their oral secretions

• Infants who remain hospitalized beyond 3 months adjusted age

  • Infants who expire or are transferred to another inpatient unit or hospital/facility prior to discharge from the NICU

Trial design

156 participants in 2 patient groups

Pre-SOFFI infants

Description:

Infants discharged from the NICU prior to the implementation of the SOFFI infant driven feeding program with NICU staff.

Post SOFFI infants

Description:

Subject infants discharged from the NICU at least 6 months after the implementation of the SOFFI infant driven feeding program and

Treatment:

Other: SOFFI