Ruth Siqueira Gräwer and Sheila Tamanini de Almeida
The oral feeding of the preterm may be influenced by innumerable factors, such as physiological and neurological immaturity, respiratory disorders, short alert period, among others.(1,2) Finger-feeding technique has been suggested as an alternative in the food transition, being used in the routine of various services as a form of sucking and/or complementation training. This technique is also reported as an aid tool for the adequacy of the sucking pattern in newborns with oral dysfunctions, besides being used to evaluate the maturation of the suction reflex, swallowing and coordination between sucking, swallowing and breathing.(3-5)
