PURPOSE:
To investigate about an integrated sensory motor system existence in premature newborns, submitted to gustatory stimulation.
METHODS:
Analytical and experimental study of contents, double-blind. Being participants 90 premature newborns, divided into two groups (water or sucrose analysis 12%). Recorded by 15 minutes (first and last moments, without stimulation; and second time with gustatory stimulation). Three independent judges analyzed the behaviors in the right hand and left hand in the mouth and suction in the left and right and hand during the various behavioral states, those being inserted in the database of Statistical Package for Social Science, being then considered that the events observed by at least two of them. It was made use of Spearman' s rank correlation test on a significance level by p<0.05.
RESULTS:
Considering the groups both separately and together, right and left had initially moderate correlation, being right hand in the mouth remained strong at the end and left hand in the mouth finished on moderate and strong correlation, according to each behavioral state. Right hand suction in its total and sucrose showed a strong correlation initially in drowsy state, becoming moderate at the end. In alertness state there was initially a weak correlation in both stimuli ending in moderate correlation in sucrose and strong in water. Left hand suction presented initially moderate correlation on the alert state, ending in weak correlation in sucrose stimuli, which did not occur in the water that started and finished strong.
CONCLUSION:
The oral stimulation influenced the hand-mouth coordination, showing early motor sensory integration. However, there was no discrimination about the gustatory capacity on the newborns.
newborn; Premature; Suction; Gestational age; Functional laterality; Psychomotor performance; Speech language and hearing sciences