Impact of Infant Sucking on Long-Term Health: Why We Should Pay Closer Attention

Presented by: Steven Bock, MD and Jennifer Ainsworth, MS, OTR/L, NTMTC

Original Presentation Date: September 24, 2021

Course Description:

Infants, especially premature ones, often present with ineffective and inefficient sucking patterns ‎to extract from the breast and/or bottle. Is it possible that there is a way to proactively assess an ‎infant\'s long-term breathing, sleep, nutritional, and developmental gains based on what skills are ‎present at the time of birth for both premature and full-term infants? What if we could change a ‎baby and their family’s short and long-term outcomes by accessing the correct professionals in a ‎timely and preventative manner? In addition, can any predictions be made regarding the ‎relationship between these difficulties and later neurodevelopmental and craniofacial outcomes? ‎This course will touch on topics that will help connect the dots between infants and future oral, ‎gross, and sensory developmental outcomes.‎

Learning Objectives: 

• List two long-term health effects of inadequate or improper tongue function within the infant oral cavity.
• Recognize the role of various support professionals needed in the fourth trimester to ensure the mother/baby dyad thrives.
• Understand the compounding impact of subpar oral motor coordination on feeding, breathing, sleep, and development, as well as the psychosocial implications to the infant\'s mother and family.

Speaker Bios:

Dr. James Thomas, a Midwest native, pursued his dental and pediatric dentistry education at the University of Michigan before establishing a practice in Downtown Bellevue in 2007. After caring for 7,500 patients over nine years, he transitioned his focus to infant health in 2017, founding health:latch—a clinic specializing in educating, diagnosing, and addressing oral tethers in infants for their well-being. Returning to pediatric dentistry excites him, aiming for a holistic approach to children's development from infancy to adolescence. 

Jennifer Ainsworth, a pediatric occupational therapist and certified Neonatal Touch and Massage professional, earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy after graduating with a double major in Elementary Education and Psychology from the University of Miami in 2003. Her lifelong passion for working with children led her to various roles, starting at United Cerebral Palsy in Orlando, Florida, where she served children with diverse diagnoses in an outpatient setting. Transitioning to pediatric rehabilitation at Arnold Palmer Hospital Medical Center in 2010, she later seized an opportunity to work in the neonatal intensive care unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. Jenn specializes in educating mothers on feeding and development, drawing from extensive training in neonatal to childhood feeding difficulties and sensory system understanding. She believes in empowering mothers with knowledge of sensory systems, feeding cues, developmental play, schedules, and practical tips to thrive in each phase of motherhood.