THE INFLUENCE OF OLFACTORY INTERVENTION ON NONNUTRITIVE SUCKING SKILLS IN A PREMATURE-INFANT

This single-subject research design examined the influence of maternal breast milk odor on the frequency of high amplitude non-nutritive suc king qa preterm infant during gavage feeding. The participating infant sucked on the nipple of a suckometer connected to a computerized data collection system. Analysis of the data demonstrated that when the od or of maternal breast was present, the frequency of high amplitude non -nutritive sucking was greater than when MO Odor was present. During t he last 3 days of the 14-day study, the preterm infant demonstrated an increase in the frequency of high amplitude non-nutritive sucking con sistently during the time when the odor of the mother's breast milk wa s introduced for a 60-second period.