Predictors and Outcomes of the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) Performance: A Systematic Review
European Journal of Pediatrics
Longoni, L., Provenzi, L., et al. (2018).
European Journal of Pediatrics, 177(5), 665-673.
This systematic review investigates the validity and reliability of the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale for newborns and infants.
Not stated
From database inception to January 2017
Peer-reviewed articles
20
The Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) had moderate convergent and concurrent validity to distinguish efficient from inefficient feeders. Low test-retest and inter-rater reliability was found for identifying disorganized feeding patterns. <br /><br />Higher birthweight and a higher gestational age at birth were associated with higher NOMAS scores. There was mixed evidence for the association between early clinical signs and NOMAS scores. The NOMAS appears to be effective for identifying disorganized feeding patterns of infants with clinical conditions such as colic or cleft lip. <br /><br />Baseline scores on the NOMAS did not predict future feeding development. Lower NOMAS scores predicted neurodevelopmental outcomes for 6 and 12-month preterm infants as well as higher hypotonia at 34 to 36 weeks.
