Influência da prematuridade no desenvolvimento das funções orais e de linguagem: revisão de literatura

Abstract

Introduction: This literature review will address the changes in preterm newborns, in the context of oral sensory motor development and its functions, as well as language, aiming to raise data that refer to speech therapy, in the context of prematurity. Objective: Its purpose is to survey findings related to the overall development of the neonate, more specifically of oral motor functions and oral language development. Method: A literature search was carried out in Scielo (Scientific Electronic Library Online), CEFAC and Academic Google databases with the following descriptors: prematurity, speech therapy, preterm, oral sensory motor system, oral language development, oral motor development. After reading and analyzing 34 articles, 12 most relevant to the proposed theme were selected. The criteria defined for inclusion were: national publications dated from 2006 to 2019. Results: Children born prematurely and with low birth weight had worse performance and alterations in the assessments of language development when compared to children with greater weight and gestational age closer to 37 weeks. Early stimulation of sucking in preterms was presented in articles 3, 4 and 8 as a fundamental factor for effective feeding. The articles related to language are unanimous in stating that prematurity influences the development of linguistic behavior, regardless of the conditions that led to these changes. Conclusion: Prematurity in oral motor and language aspects has a significant influence on the child's overall development, affecting from birth on food aspects to language acquisition and fluency. Further studies on the subject are suggested, as it is extremely relevant in the lives of individuals. However, early stimulation in preterm and low birth weight newborns plays a decisive role in the success of exclusive breastfeeding, resulting from strategies to directly encourage and support mothers and intra and extraoral stimulation in newborns, thus leading to a shorter hospital stay, providing a better prognosis.