Oral-Motor Management of the High-Risk Neonate

Physical and occupational therapists working with high-risk infants are frequently consulted to evaluate and treat oral-motor and feeding problems. In this article the impact of feeding problems on the infantAEs physical and emotional well being is discussed and the normal developmental sequence for feeding behaviors is reviewed. The feeding characteristics of high-risk neonates and typical modes of medical and nutritional management are discussed. The therapistAEs role in the habilitation of oral-motor behaviors is presented with emphasis on components of evaluation and treatmen