Question

Bobby was born prematurely at 26 weeks' gestation and is in the NICU. Boppy accepts a bottle into his mouth, will close his mouth on the nipple, but he is only eating a little bit at each feeding. Boppy has lost weight over the last 2 days. Which primitive reflex is the nurse most likely concerned with?

1) Tonic labyrinthine reflex
2) Optical righting reaction
3) Palmar grasp reflex
4) Suck-swallow reflex

Answer 1

The nurse is most likely concerned with Bobby's suck-swallow reflex, which is vital for feeding and survival, especially in the NICU where Bobby is currently being monitored.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse is most likely concerned with the suck-swallow reflex in Bobby who was born prematurely at 26 weeks' gestation. This reflex is a crucial survival mechanism that enables a newborn to feed effectively by instinctively sucking on a nipple placed in the mouth. The concern arises because Bobby is accepting a bottle, closing his mouth on the nipple, but only eating a little bit at each feeding, coupled with weight loss over the past two days. This could indicate problems with the suck-swallow reflex which are critical to address in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting for the immediate nutrition and growth of a preterm infant like Bobby.