A new method for delivering a taste without fluids to preterm and term infants

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Abstract
A new method for administering a taste to preterm and term infants has been developed that does not necessitate the delivery of sapid solutions. Sucrose, a sugar that in solution was shown to potentiate sucking behavior, was embedded in gelatin‐based nipples that continuously release sweet taste when mouthed or sucked. The gelatin nipple and comparable latex nipples were adapted to measure sucking behavior and were tested in a within‐subject design. The gelatin nipples potentiated sucking in preterm and term infants by increasing the frequency and strength of the responses. Few sucking measures varied significantly for preterm and term infants. Those that did vary might be attributable to differences in physical stamina, rather than to orosensory orhedonic factors. It was concluded that the flavored gelatin nipple provides an effective method for studying taste in infants and offers the possibility of routine chemosensory stimulation for research and clinical applications.