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Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience in the NICU for Feeding Outcomes
Sponsor: Boston College
Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience (PEOE) program for very preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Very preterm infants (born before 32 weeks gestational age) often face challenges developing oral feeding skills. The PEOE intervention involves training parents to deliver gentle, synchronized oral-sensory stimulation-such as placing small droplets of human milk in the infant's mouth paired with gentle touch, voice, and scent-starting immediately before gavage feedings and potentially continuing into the feeding. This study uses a sequential two-group design. The first group of parents and infants will receive usual NICU care. The second group will receive the PEOE intervention. Researchers will measure how feasible and acceptable the program is for parents and staff, infant physiological responses, feeding skill development, length of hospital stay, and parental emotional well-being.
Official title: Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience Program: Enhancing NICU Outcomes Through a Family-Centered Feeding Approach
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
0 Days - 32 Weeks
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
60
Start Date
2026-11-01
Completion Date
2028-09-30
Last Updated
2026-10-20
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience (PEOE)
Parents administer small droplets of human milk (expressed breast milk or donor milk, up to 1 mL) orally via syringe, guided by infant readiness cues (e.g., mouthing, rooting). This is paired with synchronized multisensory stimulation (gentle touch, parental voice, parental scent, and taste/smell of milk). Sessions start immediately before gavage feedings and may continue into the feeding. Sessions occur in the incubator or during skin-to-skin care up to four times daily.