Increased viscosity of milk during infant feeding improves swallow safety through modifying sucking in an animal model.

ABSTRACT: Infants experiencing frequent aspiration, the entry of milk into the airway, are often prescribed thickened fluids to improve swallow safety. However, research on the outcomes of thickened milk on infant feeding have been limited to documenting rates of aspiration and the rheologic properties of milk following thickening. As a result, we have little insight into the physiologic and behavioral mechanisms driving differences in performance during feeding on high viscosity milk. Understanding the physiologic and behavioral mechanisms driving variation in performance at different viscosities is especially critical, because the structures involved in feeding respond differently to sensory stimulation. We used infant pigs, a validated animal model for infant feeding, to test how the tongue, soft

SUBMITTER: Mayerl CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9157376 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature