CORRELATION OF CERVICAL AUSCULTATION WITH PHYSIOLOGICAL RECORDING DURING SUCKLE-FEEDING IN NEWBORN-INFANTS

Pharyngeal swallows during infant suckle-feeding are associated with a characteristic sequence of sounds audible by stethoscope or by an acc elerometer or microphone held over the larynx. In rhythmically feeding term-born neonates, the delineating acoustic elements are discrete so unds which precede and succeed pharyngeal swallows. Digital signal pro cessing shows similarities in morphological detail between the discret e sounds preceding swallows and between those succeeding swallows; tho se succeeding swallows are more variable in temporal relation to swall ows, amplitude and morphological detail. Variations in the pattern of interswallow respiration, including apnea, are correlated with variati ons in the discrete sounds. Specification of physiological correlates of these internal feeding sounds increases the utility of cervical aus cultation as a method of investigation and of clinical observation of feeding.