新生兒因解剖構造與神經系統尚未發育完全，因此有其特有的吸吮模式。新生兒的吸吮行為在其各 方發展扮演十分重要的角色，有效的吸吮不僅為其初生時賴以維生的工具，更是其神經系統發展成 熟的重要指標。本研究藉由觀察出生四日的內新生兒之非獲養性吸吮，以瞭解舌頭運動的模式，並 作質與量的分析。使用的儀器為超音波 B+M 模式手持探頭由頦下區做縱向掃瞄。計算舌頭在不同 運動方向下的持續時間、運動距離與運動速度，並檢定性別、無痛分娩的使用、餵食方式、生產方 式、日後是否因黃疸住院、生產方式與麻醉方式等因素是否影響新生兒的吸吮運動。
本實驗觀察到新生兒的非獲養性吸吮為一個有節奏的反射運動，為舌頭由前往後傳遞的節率性蠕動
，類似於嬰兒型吞嚥。並首次利用口腔超音波 B ＋ M 模式發現新生兒吸吮的模式，連續期中的吸 吮分起始吸吮與後繼吸吮；單一吸吮分兩個時期：下降期與上升期。而在找尋影響吸吮模式的因子 中，發現：
1. 起始吸吮與後繼吸吮模式不同，起始吸吮的下降期中，舌頭運動距離較小且運動速度較慢。
2. 連續期中，前三個後繼吸吮的模式無統計上差異。
3. 吸吮運動速度較慢與高膽紅素血症有關。
4. 性別、生產方式（自然產、剖腹產與剖腹產合併真空吸引）、無痛分娩的使用、生產時的麻醉方 式（脊椎麻醉與局部麻醉）與新生兒的吸吮行為無關。
5. 後繼吸吮的平均總持續時間為 0.5845±0.0851 秒，約每秒 1.71 次。
研究發現超音波 B ＋ M 模式確實可以作為新生兒吸吮行為觀察的工具，並進行質與量的分析，適 合大規模的研究，與長期的追蹤比較之用途，發展為新生兒早期診斷的非侵犯性檢測工具。
以超音波觀察新生兒的吸吮行為
。
Sucking behavior is an important reflex of human newborns. Effective sucking behavior is n ot only a prerequisite for survival, but also serves as a sign for evaluation of the neurological, behavioral, and physiologic maturity. Purpose of our study was to use ultrasonography to inve stigate the neonatal sucking behavior with the aim to set up the pattern for tongue motion duri ng sucking of human newborn. Sucking behavior of 33 normal full-terms infants were investig ated by B+M mode ultrasonography through submental scanning. We observed the movement patterns and calculated the duration, magnitude and speed of tongue movement according the positions of each turn point along the tongue surface on the M-mode image.
The result demonstrated that non-nutritive neonatal sucking behavior with pacifier is a rhythm ic reflex, which possesses an anterior to posterior peristaltic movement of tongue and is quite s imilar to the pattern of infantile swallowing. In the burst period two different patterns of sucki ng cycle can be identified: the initial sucking cycle and the reproducible subsequent sucking c ycles. A neonatal sucking can be divided into two periods: the downward period and the upwa rd period, according to the turn points between two different directions of tongue movements.
The results showed that the speed of tongue movement during sucking is related to the hyperbi lirubinemia in neonates. Sex, type of delivery (spontaneous, Cesarean section, and Cesarean se ction with vacuum), painless labor, method of anesthetic and sedation (spinal and local) were not significantly correlated with the neonatal sucking behavior observed. The duration of a co mplete suck cycle is 0.5845±0.0851 second (1.71 times per second). The study also elucidated that the computer-aided B+M-mode ultrasound provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of neonatal sucking behavior and may serves as a routine means for neurobehavioral develop ment evaluation at early age.
Ultrasonographic investigation of newborn sucki ng behavior
