Systems for Monitoring Infant Oral Motor Kinetics During Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Feeding

• US 20170188936A1
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chantal Lau
• Original Assignee: Chantal Lau
• Inventors: Lau, Chantal
• Granted Patent: US 10,299,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/04 Babies, e.g. for SIDS detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/045 Newborns, e.g. premature baby monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/038 Measuring oral pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4233 oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4552 Evaluating soft tissue within the mouth, e.g. gums or tongue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/00 Teats
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 13/00 : Breast-nipple shields breast-pumps A61M1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/001 : Baby-comforters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 17/103 : Temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 : Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/76 : for fluid level
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0053 : Syringes, pipettes or oral dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 : Feeding-bottles in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 : by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/363 : with electrical or electro-mechanical indication G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/42 : Orifices or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 : using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 : ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 : relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system device and method for monitoring infant oral motor kinetics (OMK), which can be used to assess the functional significance of the different sucking components, i.e., the plasticity of infant sucking skills in relation to their oral feeding performance, at a particular time, during the developmental period and/or during preventive or therapeutic intervention programs. It is a unique system and apparatus that provides a means to study the nonnutritive and/or nutritive sucking skills, i.e., the Suction and/or Expression components of sucking, of infants in the natural setting, i.e., during a normal feeding session. OMK sensors, tracked in real-time by the monitoring system, include miniature pressure transducers, or pressure sensitive pads, attached to the nipple for measuring intraoral pressure pulses during Suction, and for measuring compression/stripping pressure pulses during Expression; and a miniature flow sensor for measuring fluid flow rate, which can be integrated over time to determine the volume of milk removed (bolus) per suck. Other signals, such as respiration, swallowing, thermal, optical, and acoustic signals can be recorded and compared along with the instrumented-nipple signals, in an OMK monitoring system.

Claims

1. An instrumented nipple for monitoring oral motor kinetics in an infant, comprising:

a pressure sensitive pad attached to the nipple, wherein the pressure sensitive pad comprises an array of pressure sensitive elements capable of providing a plurality of real-time electrical signals representing a spatial distribution of pressure forces applied to the nipple by an infant, when the nipple is placed in the infant'"'"'s mouth.

2. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the array of pressure sensitive elements is a 1-dimensional array of elements, and a long direction of the 1-dimensional array is aligned parallel to a long axis of the nipple.

3. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, where the array of pressure sensitive elements is a 2-dimensional array of elements.

4. The instrumented nipple of claim 3, wherein a long direction of the 2-dimensional array is aligned parallel to a long axis of the nipple.

5. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is disposed on a neck of the nipple.

6. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is attached to the exterior of the nipple.

7. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is attached to the interior of the nipple.

8. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is embedded inside of a sidewall of the nipple.

9. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad comprises a plurality of active pressure sensing elements that sense changes in electrical capacitance.

10. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad comprises a plurality of active pressure sensing elements that sense changes in electrical resistance.

11. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad comprises a plurality of active pressure sensing elements that sense by using a piezoelectric effect.

12. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is glued to the nipple using a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive.

13. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the nipple is a pacifier.

14. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the nipple includes a nipple shield.

15. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is attached to a finger of a glove.

16. The instrumented nipple of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive pad is selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure pad, a tactile sensor/sensing array, an artificial electronic skin, a pressure mapping system, and a flexible pressure sensor.

17. An instrumented nipple for monitoring oral motor kinetics in an infant, comprising a first pressure transducer embedded within a sidewall of the nipple.

18. The instrumented nipple of claim 17, further comprising a second pressure transducer embedded within the sidewall of the nipple, wherein the first pressure transducer is located closer to a tip of the nipple, and the second transducer is located closer to a base of the nipple.

19. An instrumented nipple for measuring fluid flow rate during infant feeding when the nipple is attached to an infant feeding bottle, the instrumented nipple comprising:

a tip including an exit hole through which fluid exits when the nipple is securely connected to the feeding bottle;

wherein the nipple exit hole comprises a calibrated flow orifice insert having an inner diameter, D, and a length, L, wherein the calibrated flow orifice directs all fluid exiting the nipple past a first pressure sensor transducer and a second pressure sensor transducer in the nipple exit hole, which is used to calculate a fluid pressure drop across the calibrated flow orifice insert when fluid passes through the nipple'"'"'s exit hole; and

wherein the rate of fluid passing through the exit hole is proportional to a square root of a fluid pressure drop measured across the orifice plate by the first and second pressure transducers.

20. A method for measuring a fluid flow rate of fluid flowing out of an instrumented nipple attached to an infant feeding bottle, the method comprising:

(a) inserting the instrumented nipple into a mouth of an infant;

wherein the instrumented nipple comprises a tip including an exit hole through which fluid exits when an infant is feeding;

wherein the nipple exit hole comprises;

a calibrated flow orifice insert having an inner diameter, D, and a length, L, and a pair of miniature pressure transducers located within the exit hole;

(b) measuring a first pressure signal with the first pressure transducer;

(c) measuring a second pressure signal with the second pressure transducer;

(d) calculating, using a processor in operational communication with the first pressure transducer and the second pressure transducer, a difference between the first and second pressure signals;

(e) calculating, using the processor, a square root of the difference between the first and second pressure signals, and

(f) calculating, using the processor, a fluid flow rate of fluid flowing through the nipple exit hole by multiplying the square root determined in step (e) by a proportionality constant that is calibrated for a specific size of the flow orifice.