PURPOSE: To observe the behavioral states presented by premature newborns in response to gustatory stimulation. METHODS: Experimental, analytical and double-blind study. Ninety premature newborns born in a public maternity hospital in Sergipe took part in the test which was filmed and divided into three parts of five minutes. In the first and last, there was no stimulus; in the second, the gustatory stimulation was applied and the newborn children were divided into two groups (water or analysis for sucrose 12%). The observed behavioral states were deep sleep, light sleep, drowsy, alert, agitated/irritated and crying. The data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In the sucrose group, during and after stimulation, the correlation was strong in the light sleep and alert behavioral states and decreased in the drowsy, agitated/irritated and crying states. In the water group there was an increase in correlation in the agitated/irritated and crying states after stimulation. CONCLUSION: The continuity or change of the behavioral state of the premature newborns was positively influenced by the administration of gustatory stimulus, pointing to the possibility of using sucrose in benefit of the favorable behavioral states of that population.
Speech, language and hearing sciences; Neonatology; Behavior; Newborn; Premature; Sucrose