Aim: To evaluate studies that have used surface electromyography (sEMG) during feeding for term and preterm infants.
Method: Studies published between 1996 and 2009 were identified through databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, and SciELO) and divided into groups: term infants, preterm infants, and other situations with infants aged from 0 to 12 months.
Results: Five studies were found for suckling in term infants, two evaluating muscular activity during feeding in preterm infants, and one dealing with other situations. Some studies revealed striking differences in activity of the masseter muscle between breastfed and bottle-fed term infants (action diminished in bottle-fed infants). For preterm infants, authors evaluated sucking and sucking bursts and pointed out an effective means of evaluating muscle behaviour during feeding. There is evidence of a similarity in activity between cup feeding and breastfeeding.
Interpretation: Studies found in this literature review show the importance of using sEMG as a method of feeding assessment for term and preterm infants. For term infants, the masseter muscle presented greater muscular activity during breastfeeding and reduced activity during bottle-feeding. It was not possible to make comparisons between studies of preterm infants because of differences in methodological design.