Establishment of supporting low birth weight infants - relationship between eating swallowing function and systemic development-

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19320
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57080:Social dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Ishizaki Akiko 昭和大学, 歯学部, 講師 (00710386)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 低出生体重児 / 口腔機能 / 鼻呼吸 / 発達 / 食支援

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a method of food support in low birthweight infants. It was found that approximately one-third of healthy infants and low-birthweight infants attending nursery school
had difficulties with eating. Children with eating difficulties had significantly higher nasal airway resistance and a significantly higher percentage of children with developmental insufficiency of oral
function, a condition in which oral function is immature, compared to children without such problems. Although low-birthweight infants tended to have weaker grip strength and lip closure than healthy infants, no significant differences were found in the surveyed items. The results suggest that eating problems in low-birthweight infants may be resolved by the age of 3 years, suggesting that support at younger ages is important. Approaches to nasal breathing and oral function were considered important for food support for young children.

Free Research Field

口腔衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

我が国の低出生体重児の割合は増加傾向にあり、生まれた子どもが小さいことは、親にとって様々な不安を抱かせ、食事に関しても心配ごとが多い。本研究の成果より、食事の心配事は鼻呼吸と口腔機能と関連することが示唆された。よって低出生体重児を含めた幼児に対する食支援としては、鼻呼吸と口腔機能に対する対応が重要であると推測された。食事は幼児期の育児の中心である。食支援を行うことで、育児に対する困り感の減少にも繋がるであろうと考えられる。