Speech therapy performance in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a perspective in food management

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate speech therapy interventions in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a public maternity hospital in the north of the state of Santa Catarina in food management. Method. Cross-sectional study conducted by reviewing the medical records of patients admitted to the NICU from April 2021 to April 2022 who received speech therapy care. For data collection, the database containing information about the clinical and perinatal data of neonates and speech therapy interventions was used. Results. 426 neonates were admitted to the NICU, of which 224 (52.5%) received speech therapy, with a prevalence of premature neonates (63%) and males (58%). The speech therapy interventions encompassed the assessment of the oral motor system (AOMS) together with guidance to the mother, family or team, stimulation of the sensory-motor-oral system, finger-feeding technique, relactation or translation techniques, introduction of the device breastfeeding intermediary (silicone nipple) and the bottle utensil. Exclusive breastfeeding had the highest prevalence (62%) in the dietary outcome of the neonates assisted. Conclusion. The intervention most used by the neonatal speech-language pathology team was the AOMS together with guidance to the mother, family or team, related to the difficulty in the feeding process and the way of feeding at hospital discharge exclusive breastfeeding prevailed. Inserted in the multidisciplinary team working in the NICU, it contributes to the nutritional development of the newborn, through the positive assistance of speech therapy interventions that promote advantages to exclusive breastfeeding and throughout the child's growth.