Elsevier

Early Human Development

Volume 27, Issue 3, December 1991, Pages 163-173
Early Human Development

The analysis of sucking behaviour in newborn infants

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(91)90192-6Get rights and content

Abstract

A special video camera devised by the author and a fiberscope were used to film the neonatal sucking response of 50 low-risk full-term newborn infants on the 5th day after birth. Analysis of the sucking behaviour showed that the sucking movements consist mainly of a peristaltic tongue movement and two kinds of negative pressure; that the peristaltic tongue movements are synchronized with the jaw movements; that infants actively adapt to a varying environment; and that the sucking movements change to minimize the energy required.

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