Feeding Problems in Newborns

Most of the babies suckle well soon after the birth. However, some babies take a very long time to finish a feed or feed with varying degrees of difficulty. According to a study, “Feeding problems are estimated to occur in up to 25% of normally developing babies and in up to 35% of babies with neurodevelopmental disabilities”. Feeding problem can be termed as the failure or rejection to eat few food items.

Problems with feeding may lead to various health issues, such as negative nutrition, psychological and developmental sequelae. So, early recognition and management of feeding difficulty is very important. Some of the symptoms of this are, difficulty sucking, vomiting, fever, lethargy, partial to total food refusal, multiple food dislikes, etc.

Some babies feed poorly because of many reasons. Mouth ulcer, a fungal infection is one of the reasons of difficult feeding that appears as plaques or white patches on the tongue, roof of the mouth or the lips and inside of the cheeks. This can be treated with an anti-fungal gel. Apply the gel on the affected area after each feed.

Some babies are born with a gap, called as a cleft palate in the roof of the mouth. This can be easily seen when your baby is crying or opens the mouth wide. This may cause milk to enter the nose when your baby is trying to suck and cause blocking. Premature babies also find difficulty in coordinating the suck-swallow-breathe actions. However, this improves as the baby gets older and with more feedings.

Infants with feeding problems may also be at risk for chronic lung disease, dehydration and aspiration. If you find the feeding problem symptoms in your baby, consult with the doctor immediately. Treatment varies greatly depending on the cause of the feeding problems. Some of the common treatment options are, nutritional changes, individualized feeding therapy, postural or positioning changes, mouth exercises, medications, etc.

If the feeding issues are recognized on time, the prognosis is generally favorable and is usually resolved with no long-term health effect.  If not, however, it can lead to many problems, including slow physical and mental development, learning disorders, and more. 

Found this information useful? You can learn more about your baby’s good health by joining Shaw Academy’s Child Nutrition program. You can also read Shaw Academy Reviews online on their Facebook page.