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Non-Nutritive Suck Parameters Measurements Using a Custom Pressure Transducer System
In This Article
Summary
The non-nutritive suck (NNS) device can easily collect and quantify NNS features using a pacifier connected to a pressure transducer and recorded through a data acquisition system and laptop. Quantification of NNS parameters can provide valuable insight into a child's current and future neurodevelopment.
Abstract
The non-nutritive suck (NNS) device is a transportable, user-friendly pressure transducer system that quantifies infants' NNS behavior on a pacifier. Recording and analysis of the NNS signal using our system can provide measures of an infant's NNS burst duration (s), amplitude (cmH2O), and frequency (Hz). Accurate, reliable, and quantitative assessment of NNS has immense value in serving as a biomarker for future feeding, speech-language, cognitive, and motor development. The NNS device has been used in numerous research lines, some of which have included measuring NNS features to investigate the effects of feeding-related interventions, characterizing NNS development across populations, and correlating sucking behaviors with subsequent neurodevelopment. The device has also been used in environmental health research to examine how exposures in utero can influence infant NNS development. Thus, the overarching goal in research and clinical utilization of the NNS device is to correlate NNS parameters with neurodevelopmental outcomes to identify children at risk for developmental delays and provide rapid early intervention.
Introduction
Non-nutritive suck (NNS) is one of the first occurring behaviors that an infant can perform with their mouth soon after birth and therefore has the potential to provide meaningful insights into brain development1. NNS refers to sucking movements without nutritional intake (e.g., sucking on a pacifier) and is characterized by a series of rhythmic expressions and suction movements of the jaw and tongue with pause breaks for breathing. Common parameters of NNS have been noted to include an average NNS burst (series of suck cycles) of 6-12 suck cycles with an intra-burst frequency of two sucks per second2; however, NNS featu....
Protocol
Northeastern University's institutional review board has approved studies using the NNS device with human subjects (15-06-29; 16-04-06; 17-08-19). Informed consent was obtained from the children's caregivers. All research personnel have completed human subject training prior to collecting any data with the NNS device. The SNL team has generated several training resources and protocols for new research personnel to complete prior to data collection using the NNS device. These training sessions include reviewing th.......
Representative Results
The NNS device has been used in numerous published studies that incorporate NNS outcome measures17,18,19. In the example data shown in Figure 7, bursts have been manually identified with the following criteria: more than one suck cycle per burst, cycles having at least an amplitude of 1 cmH2O, and suck waveforms within 1000 ms of each other. Once bursts are identified, the custom Macro ou.......
Discussion
The NNS device has several limitations that are important to acknowledge. Although NNS provides critical insight into feeding9, there is a considerable amount of extrapolation from NNS to feeding performance. Solutions to this limitation have included research teams pairing NNS results with actual feeding observations and comprehensive feeding-related questionnaires for caregivers to more fully capture how NNS relates to feeding18. In addition, an infant can have a well-pat.......
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the following NIH funding sources: DC016030 and DC019902. We would also like to thank the members of the Speech & Neurodevelopment Lab and the families who participated in our numerous studies.
....Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
| Case | Pelican | 1560 | |
| Data Acquisition and Analysis Software/LabChart | ADInstruments | 8.1.25 | |
| Data Acquisition Center (PowerLab 2/26) | ADInstruments | ML826 | |
| Laptop | Dell | Latitude 5480 | |
| Pressure Calibrator | Meriam Process Technologies | M101 | |
| Soothie Pacifier | Phillips Avent | SCF190/01 | |
| Syringe | CareTouch | CTSLL1 |
References
- Poore, M. A., Barlow, S. M. Suck predicts neuromotor integrity and developmental outcomes. Pers Speech Sci Orofacial Disorders. 19 (1), 44-51 (2009).
- Wolff, P. H. The serial organization of sucking in the young infant.
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