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Breakthrough in Infant Feeding Therapy
BabyStrong is an innovative, non-invasive therapy that combines transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) with bottle feeding to improve feeding outcomes for preterm and term infants who struggle with oral feeding.
Feeding difficulty is a major reason for prolonged hospitalization for preterm and term infants in the U.S. Current therapies rely on trial and error, coupled with simple feeding practice as skills develop over time. BabyStrong safely promotes the necessary neuroplasticity in a novel way.
Pioneered at MUSC by Dr. Jenkins, Dr. George, and Dr. Badran, and jointly developed with support from the Zucker Institute for Innovation Commercialization (ZI).
The therapy pairs transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation with feeding to restore brain function. It consists of an external pulse generator (EPG) connected to a pair of stimulating contacts that are attached to the ear via an adhesive. Clinicians can simultaneously administer stimulation therapy while feeding the baby.
In clinical trials, taVNS paired with bottle feeding improved feeding outcomes and was well accepted by parents and care providers. Pharmacologic mitigation of oxidative stress may improve response to taVNS paired with motor training in patients with CNS neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.
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